France is a unitary republic with a bicameral legislature composed of the National Assembly and the Senate. The French constitutional system is often described as semipresidential, and is characterized by a structure of interconnecting powers between the legislative and executive branches. The checks and balances between the legislative and executive branches include the President's power to dissolve the National Assembly, and the National Assembly's power to dismiss the Prime Minister, shared authority to initiate legislation between the Parliament and the Prime Minister, and the absence of any veto power on the part of the President. The Parliament's powers are strictly enumerated by the Constitution, which lists the matters that can be the subject of legislation.
Members of the National Assembly are called deputies and are elected directly, in contrast with senators, who are chosen by indirect elections. Deputies are elected for five-year terms. Senators are elected for six-year terms, but elections are held every three years to elect an alternating half of the chamber. Both chambers are organized in a similar manner, with a chamber president, a governing bureau, commissions, and formal political groups. Bills are submitted either by the Prime Minister or by members of either chamber. Once submitted to one of the two chambers, a bill is first discussed, amended if need be, and voted on in commissions before being discussed, amended, and voted on by the chamber as a whole. The bill must then go to the other chamber, where it follows the same procedure: discussion, possible amendment, and vote in commission followed by discussion, possible amendment, and vote in the chamber's plenary session. A bill must be adopted by both chambers with identical language before it can be signed into law by the President of the Republic. If the two chambers disagree on the terms of the bill, a joint commission comprised of seven deputies and seven senators is tasked with finding a compromise draft, although that compromise draft must still be voted on by both chambers. In extreme cases of deadlock, the National Assembly may have the final say.
The French Parliament was born in one of the opening acts of the French Revolution: on June 17, 1789, representatives of the Third Estate (i.e., commoners; the First Estate referred to the clergy and the Second Estate referred to the nobility) declared themselves to be the Assemblée nationale (National Assembly), and asserted themselves as the embodiment of national sovereignty and of the will of the French people. The constitutional history of France was tumultuous, however, and the names and forms of the French legislature changed many times, especially during the century following the Revolution. The French legislative branch ran the gamut from an elected unicameral body (as in the Constitution of 1791), to an appointed tetracameral body (under Napoleon Bonaparte). It was not until the Third Republic, shaped by the Constitutional Laws of 1875, that the notion of a democratically-elected bicameral legislature finally took root in an enduring manner. From then on, with the tragic exception of the Vichy Régime period (1940–1944), French legislative power always remained in the hands of an elected Parliament.
The current constitutional system is known as the Fifth Republic, and is founded on the Constitution of October 4, 1958. As described below, the Constitution gives crucial powers to Parliament, making it an institution of vital importance in modern French politics.
France is a unitary republic. The Constitution officially describes it as an "indivisible, secular, democratic and social Republic." The Fifth Republic is often considered to be a "semipresidential" regime. This is in contrast to parliamentary regimes such as the United Kingdom and France's own Third and Fourth Republics, where the government truly revolves around the legislative branch, but also in contrast with presidential regimes such as the United States, which are characterized by a more strict separation of powers. France's semipresidential system features a two-headed executive: a President of the Republic, who is directly elected and holds considerable power, and a Prime Minister, who is appointed by the President but is accountable to the Parliament. Another term often used to describe the French constitutional arrangement is "rationalized parliamentarism." In any case, the drafters of the 1958 Constitution sought to preserve the generally parliamentarian character of France's government, while at the same time limiting the Parliament's power enough to avoid the chronic governmental instability of the Third and Fourth Republics.
The office of President is largely shielded from both parliamentary and judicial interference. Indeed, the President may not be prosecuted while in office except by the International Criminal Court, nor can he be held liable for acts carried out in his official capacity or be compelled to testify before any court or administrative authority. Furthermore, the Parliament may only impeach the President for "breach of his duties patently incompatible with his continuing office," something which has never occurred so far under the current Constitution.
The President may dissolve one of the two chambers of Parliament—the National Assembly (the Senate, however, cannot be dissolved). Elections for a new National Assembly must occur no less than twenty days and no more than forty days following such a dissolution, and the President is barred from dissolving the National Assembly again for a year following these elections. This prerogative was used twice by President Charles de Gaulle (in 1962 and 1968), twice by President François Mitterand (in 1981 and 1988), and once by President Jacques Chirac (in 1997).
The office of the Prime Minister, and more broadly the cabinet of which he is the head (usually referred to as "the Government" in France), is the main institution where the President's and the Parliament's powers meet and overlap. The Government is in charge of the day-to-day administration of government, and of carrying out the nation's policies. Furthermore, most of the President's instruments of power (such as decrees) must be signed by the Prime Minister and by any other minister who might be involved in carrying out the measure in question. Thus, the President cannot do much without the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister and all cabinet ministers serve at the President's discretion. It is the President who appoints and dismisses them, and he/she can legally choose whomever he/she wishes. However, the Prime Minister needs the support of the Parliament. Not only is that support needed to pass legislation, but the National Assembly also has the power to force the Government's resignation. This is done in one of two ways: either on the Prime Minister's own initiative, or on the National Assembly's initiative.
In the first scenario, the Prime Minister demands a vote of confidence after making a policy statement (either a detailed policy program or a more general statement). Prime Ministers usually call for such votes of confidence as a way to test legislative support for their political program, and/or as a way to solidify support, by "forcing" allied legislators to either go on record as supporting the Government or cause a political crisis. The Prime Minister and his/her Government must resign if they lose the vote, but will generally come out politically strengthened if they win. Many Prime Ministers have demanded votes of confidence throughout the history of the Fifth Republic, and none has lost so far.
In the second scenario, a group representing at least one-tenth of the members of the National Assembly can call for a vote of confidence in the Government. The vote then takes place at least forty-eight hours after the resolution has been tabled, and only votes cast in favor of the no-confidence resolution are counted. In order to prevent the abuse of such no-confidence resolutions, no member of the National Assembly may sign more than three during a single ordinary session, or more than one during a single extraordinary session. This instrument has been widely used by opposition parties to express their disapproval of government policies, but it is in practice more symbolic than effective: out of the many no-confidence resolutions that have been considered since 1958, only one was successful, on October 9, 1962 (the resulting political crisis led then-President Charles de Gaulle to dissolve the National Assembly four days later).
The authority to initiate legislation is shared between the Prime Minister (who is appointed by the President, as mentioned above) and the members of the Parliament. The terminology changes a bit according to whether a bill is initiated by the Prime Minister (in which case the term used is projet de loi – "law project"), or by a member of the Parliament (the term then used is proposition de loi – "law proposal").
Contrary to the President of the United States, the French President does not have the power to veto legislation. He/she is required to promulgate Acts of Parliament within fifteen days of their final passage. The most he/she can do is ask the Parliament to reopen the debate on the Act or any part thereof.
- the base, rates and methods of collection of all types of taxes; the issuing of currency.
- nationalisation of companies and the transfer of ownership of companies from the public to the private sector.
In addition, the French Parliament is responsible for authorizing declarations of war, and for authorizing the extension of a state of siege beyond twelve days (the Council of Ministers, presided over by the President, has the authority to decree a state of siege for those first twelve days). The Constitution specifies that this list may be completed by an "institutional Act" (Loi organique). However, any subject that is not enumerated as a legislative matter by the Constitution or an "institutional Act" is considered to be a matter for regulation by the executive, but not for legislation by the Parliament.
The Parliament may also adopt resolutions on any topic, so long as the resolution cannot be considered as an injunction to the Government or a motion of no confidence in the Government. These resolutions are seen as a means of expression for the Parliament and are not binding.
France has a bicameral Parliament, composed of the National Assembly and the Senate. The two houses both sit in Paris, but in separate places: the National Assembly at the Bourbon Palace (Palais Bourbon), and the Senate at the Luxembourg Palace (Palais du Luxembourg).
The National Assembly has 577 members, called deputies (députés), and the Senate has 348 senators.
At the beginning of each legislative term, the National Assembly elects a President of the National Assembly. The President of the National Assembly has important powers, and is ranked as the fourth most important figure in the French government hierarchy under the rules of protocol (the first three being the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, and the President of the Senate).
In addition to presiding over the National Assembly's sessions, the President of the National Assembly has a crucial role in organizing the National Assembly's workload and agenda. Furthermore, he/she appoints three of the nine nonpermanent judges on the Conseil constitutionnel (Constitutional Council, which verifies the constitutionality of French laws), as well as one or several members of various independent agencies such as the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (Superior Council on Audiovisual Media, France's main regulatory agency for electronic media), the governing council of the Banque de France (the French central bank), the Autorité des marchés financiers (Financial Markets Authority), and several others. He/she also has the authority to ask the Conseil constitutionnel to evaluate the constitutionality of a bill before it becomes law (the only others who may do that are the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the President of the Senate, or a group of sixty deputies or sixty senators).
The President of the National Assembly is the head of the Bureau of the National Assembly, and the only member of that body to be elected for an entire legislative term. The other members (six vice-presidents, three quaestors, and twelve secretaries) are elected at the beginning of each year. The National Assembly Rules call for the deputies to choose a bureau that is gender-balanced and that reflects the political composition of the National Assembly as a whole, thus ensuring that opposition parties are adequately represented.
The Bureau is responsible for organizing the National Assembly's workload and agenda, and for managing the institution's day-to-day operations.
The National Assembly has eight permanent commissions: the Education and Cultural Commission; the Economic Commission; the Foreign Relations Commission; the Social Issues Commission; the National Defense and Armed Forces Commission; the Sustainable Development and Territorial Organization Commission; the Finance, General Economy, and Budgetary Control Commission; and the Commission for Constitutional Laws, Legislation, and the General Administration of the Republic. Additionally, the National Assembly can also create temporary special commissions. A deputy may not be a member of more than one commission at a time.
The main role of these commissions is to prepare bills for full deliberation. Indeed, the Constitution requires that bills be discussed by a commission before being debated and voted on by the full National Assembly. Commissions have the power to amend a bill. Furthermore, in addition to this crucial legislative role, the permanent commissions are supposed to monitor the actions of the government, and to act as the National Assembly's principal fact-finding bodies.
Deputies may organize into political groups, although such groups must have at least fifteen members to be officially recognized. These groups represent "the organized expression of the political parties and formations within the Assembly, and allow deputies to group themselves according to their affinities." A deputy may only belong to one political group at a time.
Currently, out of the 577 members of the National Assembly, 287 are affiliated with the Socialiste, républicain et citoyen (Socialist, Republican and Citizen, related to the Socialist Party) political group, 199 are affiliated with Les Républicains (The Republicans, named after the main center-right party that most of its members hail from), and twenty-nine are affiliated with the Union des démocrates et indépendants (Union of Democrats and Independents, related to the centrist political party of the same name) group. Fifty-one deputies are affiliated with one of three smaller political groups, and eleven deputies are unaffiliated.
The Senate is organized in a manner very similar to the National Assembly.
The President of the Senate is elected every three years, after each partial renewal of the Senate (see Part IV, "Elections," below). He/she is in charge of ensuring the Senate's security and proper operation, and has a key role in organizing the institution's workload and agenda. He/she appoints three of the nine nonpermanent judges on the Conseil constitutionnel and, as noted above, he/she is one of the few individuals with the authority to ask the Conseil constitutionnel to evaluate the constitutionality of a bill before it becomes law.
Although he/she is third under the rules of protocol, the President of the Senate is actually next in the line of succession as Head of State in case of absence or incapacity of the President of the Republic. If the President of the Republic is declared permanently absent or incapacitated by the Conseil constitutionnel, the President of the Senate takes on his/her role until new elections are held (at least twenty days, and no more than thirty-five days, after the declaration of vacancy or incapacity). The only presidential prerogatives that the President of the Senate cannot exercise as interim Head of State are the ability to dissolve the National Assembly and the ability to call for a national referendum.
The Bureau of the Senate is composed of twenty-six members: the President of the Senate, eight vice-presidents, three quaestors, and fourteen secretaries. A new Bureau is formed every three years, with the election of a new President of the Senate. Senate Rules require that the Bureau reflect the political composition of the Senate. Like its equivalent in the National Assembly, the Bureau of the Senate is responsible for organizing the institution's workload and agenda, and for managing day-to-day operations.
The Senate has seven permanent commissions: the Economic Commission; the Foreign Relations, Defense, and Armed Forces Commission; the Social Issues Commission; the Culture, Education, and Communications Commission; the Territorial Organization and Sustainable Development Commission; the Finance Commission; and the Commission on Constitutional Laws, Legislation, Universal Suffrage, Rules, and General Administration. The Senate also has a Commission on European Affairs to monitor the activities of European Union institutions, and can create special commissions and fact-finding commissions for specific issues. The Senate's commissions have the same powers and responsibilities as their National Assembly equivalents.
Senators can organize into political groups in the same manner as their National Assembly colleagues, except that the threshold number to be officially recognized as a group in the Senate is ten. Currently, 144 senators are affiliated with the Groupe Les Républicains, 110 are affiliated with the Groupe socialiste et républicain, forty-two are affiliated with the Groupe Union des Démocrates et Independants, forty-six senators are affiliated with one of three smaller political groups, and six senators are unaffiliated.
Deputies are elected by direct universal suffrage for terms of five years (unless the President ends a term prematurely by calling for early elections). Senators, by contrast, are elected by indirect suffrage: they are considered the representatives of the local and regional communities (communautés territoriales) of France, and as such are elected by an electoral college of approximately 160,000 "great electors" (grands electeurs), 95% of whom are members of the municipal councils of France's 36,767 cities, towns, and villages. Senators are elected for terms of six years, with elections for alternating halves of the Senate being held every three years.
Deputies are elected to discrete, single-seat legislative districts. The number of legislative districts in each département (the main administrative subdivision of French territory) varies according to census population. Thus, the number of deputies per département varies from one (in the more rural départements such as Creuse or Lozère) to twenty-one (in the Nord, France's most populous département). Deputies are elected through a two-round voting system.
Senators are distributed by département, with the number of senators per département varying from one for each of the more rural départements, to eleven for Nord and twelve for Paris. Départements that have only one or two senators elect them via a two-round voting system, but those that have three or more senators elect them through a proportional representation system.
Legislative districts are defined by law, as is the number of senators per département. However, the Conseil constitutionnel has ruled that, under the principle of equality of suffrage, these questions must be defined according to neutral, "essentially demographic" criteria. This constitutional rule therefore makes it impossible for any dominant party to engage in gerrymandering.
Contrary to the United States, French citizens residing abroad are represented in Parliament, by eleven deputies and twelve senators.
Although deputies and senators are elected by discrete legislative districts or départements, they are not considered to be the representatives of their specific districts or départements. Rather, the constitutional mandate of every deputy and senator is to be a representative of the French Nation as a whole.
The French legislative process has three basic phases: submission, discussion, and promulgation.
A bill may be submitted by the Prime Minister, by a deputy or group of deputies, or by a senator or group of senators. However, only the Prime Minister may submit a bill or an amendment which, if it were to be adopted, would cause either a reduction in public resources or an increase in spending. In practice, the majority of bills are submitted by the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister, the President of the National Assembly, or the President of the Senate may block the submission of a bill that does not fall within the enumerated matters that, under the Constitution, may be the subject of legislation. The Conseil constitutionnelis the arbiter of any disagreement between the Prime Minister and either chamber of Parliament on whether a bill falls within the proper ambit for legislation.
Appropriations bills, and bills on the financing of social security, must be submitted to the National Assembly first, while bills regarding the territorial organization of France must be submitted to the Senate first.
Upon submission to either the National Assembly or the Senate, a bill is published and sent to either a permanent commission or a special commission, which studies it and prepares a report. The commission may reject the bill, adopt it as is, or amend it—except for constitutional reforms, appropriations bills, and bills on the financing of social security, which may not be amended in commission. If the bill is approved by the commission (either in its original draft or as amended), or if the commission fails to act on the bill, it is then discussed in a plenary session, where it may again be rejected, adopted as-is, or amended. If the bill is adopted in plenary session, it is then sent to the other chamber of Parliament, where it follows the same basic procedure (discussion and vote in commission, and then in plenary session).
A bill must be adopted in identical terms by both chambers of Parliament to become law. If the two chambers of Parliament fail to adopt an identical bill after two rounds (or one round if the Prime Minister opted for an accelerated procedure and the Presidents of the National Assembly and of the Senate do not jointly deny the Prime Minister's motion), the bill may be sent to a joint commission made up of seven deputies and seven senators. The joint commission is supposed to negotiate and elaborate a common draft for the parts of the bill that the two chambers disagree on. If a compromise is found, it is sent to both the National Assembly and the Senate for final votes, and no further amendment is possible without the Prime Minister's approval. If the joint commission's compromise draft is again rejected by one of the two chambers of Parliament, the Prime Minister may, after a new reading and vote in each chamber, ask for the National Assembly to take a final vote either on the joint commission's final text, or on the last draft that the National Assembly voted on, as amended by the Senate. If the joint commission fails to come to a compromise, the Prime Minister may, after a new reading and vote in each chamber, ask for the National Assembly to take a final vote on the last draft that the National Assembly voted on, as amended by the Senate.
Since 1959, approximately 20% of bills have had to go to a joint commission, and the joint committees have been able to find compromises approximately 60% of the time. Thus, while the National Assembly ends up having the last word in cases of extreme deadlock, such situations have historically been rare.
When a bill has been adopted by both chambers of Parliament, the President of the Republic has fifteen days to either promulgate it, or to ask the Parliament to reexamine it. This second option has been very rarely used since 1958. Furthermore, the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the President of either chamber of Parliament, or a group of sixty deputies or sixty senators, may ask the Conseil constitutionnel to review a bill's constitutionality before promulgation. The Conseil constitutionnel normally has one month to review the bill, during which time the fifteen-day timeframe to promulgate the bill is temporarily suspended.
The President of the Republic promulgates a new law by signing a promulgation decree, which certifies that the law has been adopted according to the proper constitutional procedure, and which authorizes its publication in the official gazette. The new law then usually comes into force either on the date specified in the law if it contains an effective date provision, or on the day following its publication in the official gazette if the law is silent on that question.
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 Id.; Constitution, http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006071194, archived at https://perma.cc/2FRL-GSPB,English translation available at http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/conseil-constitutionnel/english/constitution/constitution-of-4-october-1958.25742.html, archived at https://perma.cc/F6F9-NL79.
 David Marrani, Dynamics in the French Constitution 13 (2013).
 Id. at 14; Const. arts. 5–23.
 Comment caractériser le régime politique de la Ve République? [How Can the Political Regime of the Vth Republic be Defined?], Vie-publique.fr (official web portal of the French administration) (Jan. 2, 2014), http://www.vie-publique.fr/decouverte-institutions/institutions/veme-republique/transformations/comment-caracteriser-regime-politique-ve-republique.html, archived at https://perma.cc/JN43-2QSV.
 Louis Favoreu et al., Droit constitutionnel [Constitutional Law] 689 (2011).
 David Marrani, Dynamics in the French Constitution 17 (2013).
 Favoreu et al., supra note 16, at 768–69.
 Favoreu et al., supra note 16, at 770–71.
 Favoreu et al., supra note 16, at 836.
 Favoreu et al., supra note 16, at 762.
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 Const. art. 24; Fiche de synthèse n°1: Présentation synthétique des institutions françaises [Factsheet No. 1: Summary Presentation of the French Institutions], Assemblee-nationale.fr (Apr. 15, 2014), http://www2.assemblee-nationale.fr/decouvrir-l-assemblee/role-et-pouvoirs-de-l-assemblee-nationale/les-institutions-francaises-generalites/presentation-synthetique-des-institutions-francaises, archived at https://perma.cc/7U94-UR4N.
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 Fiche de synthèse n°19: Le Président de l'Assemblée nationale, supra note 45.
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 Organisation du Sénat, supra note 63.
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 Fiche de synthèse n°1: Présentation synthétique des institutions françaises, supra note 43.
 Id.; Qu'est-ce qu'une commune? [What is a Municipality?], Vie-publique.fr (Web portal of the French Administration) (Jan. 20, 2015), http://www.vie-publique.fr/decouverte-institutions/institutions/collectivites-territoriales/categories-collectivites-territoriales/qu-est-ce-qu-commune.html, archived at https://perma.cc/BH4B-PWPW; Sénat – L'essentiel [Senate – The Basics] 8 (July 2015), http://www.senat.fr/fileadmin/Fichiers/ Images/visite/Essentiel/Brochure2015-Essentiel-Octobre2015.pdf, archived at https://perma.cc/5B45-KWEX.
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 Fiche de synthèse n°14: L'élection des députés, supra note 81.
 Sénat – L'essentiel, supra note 79, at 8–9.
 Const. art. 25; Fiche de synthèse n°14: L'élection des députés, supra note 81.
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 Const. art. 27; Favoreu et al., supra note 16, at 744.
 Fiche de synthèse n°32 : La procédure législative [Factsheet No. 32: The Legislative Procedure], Assemblee-nationale.fr (Apr. 28, 2014), http://www2.assemblee-nationale.fr/decouvrir-l-assemblee/role-et-pouvoirs-de-l-assemblee-nationale/les-fonctions-de-l-assemblee-nationale/les-fonctions-legislatives/la-procedure-legislative, archived at https://perma.cc/CMX2-KQ4Z.
 La procédure legislative [The Legislative Procedure], Senat.fr, http://www.senat.fr/role/fiche/procedure_ leg.html (last visited Dec. 18, 2015), archived at https://perma.cc/49G2-ETRF.
 Fiche de synthèse n°32: La procédure législative, supra note 90.
 Id.; Const. arts. 42, 43.
 Fiche de synthèse n°32 : La procédure législative, supra note 90; La procédure législative, supra note 93.
 Id.; La procédure législative, supra note 93.
 La procédure législative, supra note 93; Favoreu et al., supra note 16, at 851.
 La procédure législative, supra note 93; Favoreu et al., supra note 16, at 852.
 Favoreu et al., supra note 16, at 851.
 La procédure législative, supra note 93.
 Favoreu et al., supra note 16, at 855.


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California medical marijuana patients are prescribed the drug because they are sick. Yet, because they take the drug, they may be barred from certain life-saving treatments – namely, organ transplant.
This is an especially cruel twist of law, one that some California legislators hope to rectify with Assembly Bill 258, also called the Medical Cannabis Organ Transplant Act.
Introduced by Assembly member Marc Levine (D-San Rafael), the measure is sponsored by the pro-marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access.
This is a measure that has very real implications for those afflicted with serious illness. Take, for example, the case of Norman B. Smith. The 63-year-old from Los Angeles was diagnosed with a form of inoperable liver cancer was prescribed medicinal marijuana to help him cope with the horrific pain and other side effects of chemotherapy. A year after he was diagnosed, he became eligible to receive a liver transplant. However, when Smith tested positive for marijuana, he was promptly removed from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's liver transplant list. Although his cancer was in remission for a time after that, it came back with force. He never did get that transplant, and he died in 2012.
While federal law does still classify marijuana as a dangerous, illegal drug with no recognized medical benefit, the vast majority of those in the health care field acknowledge this is not an accurate description. It may still be illegal at the federal level, but U.S. prosecutors have largely stopped pursuing cases in states that have legalized it or approved it for medical use. Additionally, hospitals like Cedars-Sinai would be breaking no laws by allowing medical cannabis patients to undergo such life-saving procedures.
AB 258 would specifically bar health care organizations, hospitals, surgeons or doctors from determining the recipient of an "anatomical gift" solely on the basis of the recipient's status as a qualified medical marijuana patient or on the basis of a qualified patient testing positive for THC.
Already, there are laws in place that prohibit these entities from deciding organ transplant recipients on the basis of physical or mental disabilities.
Not only have patients like Smith died because they were denied necessary organ transplants, there are many more who are currently in peril. Our Los Angeles marijuana lawyers believe what this ultimately boils down to is a form of discrimination. It's not as if those who ingest medical marijuana are more likely to suffer adverse effects from such a procedure than any one else who takes other drugs to treat serious conditions.
Even the California Medical Association supports the measure. The organization passed a resolution late last year indicating medical marijuana should not be a basis upon which to deny a patient for an organ transplant procedure. As it now stands, Washington state, Arizona, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Illinois and Delaware all have measures expressly protecting qualified medical marijuana patients from discrimination for an organ transplant. It's time California's health care providers took a more ethical, humane and medically-sound approach.


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June 13, 2022 - 2:00pm
Le Roy Town Board sees increased cases of property maintenance issues
posted by Tate Fonda in Le Roy Town Board, government, Walgreens.
Le Roy's town Code Enforcement Department has reached a tipping point with the local Walgreens' lack of lawn maintenance.
At Thursday's Town Board Meeting, members discussed the issue of maintenance and how cases -- including the chain drugstore -- have been on the rise.
"Code Enforcement has been busy," Town Supervisor James Farnholz said. "We have received many complaints about the grass at Walgreens. That did get mowed— and they were cited."
He went on to detail the department's intervention process.
"We gave them a verbal warning; they did nothing," said Farnholz. "We then wrote them up as a violation. They had 48 hours to mow it themselves, and when they didn't do it, we sent an independent contractor to mow it."
Town Clerk Patricia Canfield noted the increasing abundance of mowing cases.
"We've had to start doing it in the town," she said. "But in all the years I've been here, we haven't had to pay someone to mow."
Considering future cases, particularly at the Walgreens property, the board agreed to prioritize maintenance.
"We'll do it again, if it gets to the point where it's an issue," Farnholz said.
The board also discussed seting up Internet and a video camera as an extra security and safety measure at the pool. The board is expected to discuss this further at future meetings.
The town board's next meeting is at 7 p.m. June 23 at the Le Roy Town Hall Building, 48 Main St.
Statement from Assemblyman Hawley on Gov. Hochul's 2023 budget plan
posted by Press Release in Steve Hawley, Kathy Hochul, government, nys, news.
Statement from Assemblyman Steve Hawley:
"For all of the talk during today's executive budget address by our governor of a bright new future for New York, the proposals discussed seemed tired and unimaginative at best. New York's economy isn't going to suddenly catch fire because of a few meager tax cuts or narrow tax credit programs for businesses, because at the end of the day New York will still have little to offer entrepreneurs looking across the country to open businesses and create jobs. Within a global economy that grows more competitive by the day, it will only grow harder for us to attract the best and brightest to live and work here when it's so lucrative for them to invest their resources elsewhere. With that said, I do applaud the announced investment into education, something of vital importance in a marketplace demanding skilled, technologically-savvy workers."
Sen. Rath launches legislative survey
posted by Press Release in Senator Rath, government, news, New York state.
Senator Rath has published a legislative survey, asking residents to share their opinions on issues that arose from the 2022 State of the State. The brief 12 question survey is available on the Senator's website, rath.nysenate.gov.
"Countless issues will be in front of the Legislature this year, hearing from residents is crucial. As we enter the 2022 legislative session, there are a lot of timely issues facing our state and residents. From COVID vaccine mandates to voting laws, hearing from my constituents has never been more important. I hope you will take a moment to share your opinions," said Senator Rath.
County's CSEA employees slated for 1.8 percent annual pay raise with new contract
posted by Howard B. Owens in CSEA, unions, County, government.
The county has reached a new four-year contract agreement with its largest employee union, granting employees represented by the bargaining unit a 1.8 percent annual raise.
The immediate budget impact is an increase in spending this year on employee salaries and $114,291 more in payroll expenses.
The Civil Service Employees Association represents at least one employee in every department of the county, with the largest concentration being in the Department of Social Services, Health and Mental Health. Other unions represent Sheriff's deputies, nursing home staff, dispatchers and jailers and Highway Department workers.
County Jay Gsell said negotiations were much less contentious this year then in rounds past and it took only two or three meetings to arrive at an agreement. He credited the negotiating team from CSEA's Rochester office -- in the past, it's been a negotiator from Buffalo who met with county officials -- for working quickly to get an agreement in place.
The employees voted 158-13 in favor of the contract, Gsell said.
The contract also changes how expenses for health insurance are shared.
Cost sharing between the county and county employees started a few years ago and the employee share was capped at 10 percent of the employee's wage.
The new formula will calculate the share based on the bi-weekly cost of the premium. This year, the employee will pay 10 percent of the premium, then 11 percent in each of the following years and 12 percent in 2019.
The county's healthcare costs, which is a self-funded insurance program, have been going up 3 to 5 percent per year. This formula will distribute those rising costs to employees.
The highway workers are already under a contract with this new language, Gsell said, and the county will seek to get the other three unions to agree to the new terms.
"It's easier for us to be somewhat uniform and also clean up these contracts and the number of clauses," Gsell said. "(The contracts) with health care and compensation, changes get so convoluted at times. It's in our best interest to try and simplify them, but also understand there needs to be more cost sharing between employer and employee. It's the real world."
The pay raise, at 1.8 percent per year compounded would take an employee at $15 an hour to $16.11 in 2019. For an employee at $20 an hour, the rate in four years would be $21.48.
That's an extra $117.60 in pay bi-weekly for the $20-an-hour employee.
If the employee is currently covered by a healthcare plan worth $1,100 per month, and that premium went up 3 percent each year, in four years, the premium would be $1,238. The employee's share would increase from $55 bi-weekly to $74.28.
These are dollars not adjusted for inflation, which is currently less than 1 percent.
The Ways and Means Committee recommended Wednesday that the County Legislature approve the new contract.
NY Legislative Digest
posted by C. M. Barons in government, New York state, NYPIRG, legislative analysis.
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/215784/nypirg-session-analys...
October 27, 2013 - 4:15pm
Let's excel at efficiency
posted by Robert Brown in genesee county, government.
We live in an interesting time and place. Our county (Genesee, NY) consists of about 60,000 residents scattered around 13 towns, six villages, and the City of Batavia across about 500 square miles of largely agricultural space. Those 20 municipalities each have their own government structures with their own elections (surprisingly not all managed by the Genesee County Board of Elections) and their own net costs to taxpayers.
The City of Batavia consists of about 15,500 people (which is essentially a quarter of the total Genesee County population) who are represented by three elected County Legislators at the county level as well as nine elected representatives (one for each of the City's six wards and three additional at-large officials) on City Council. Genesee County Government alone employs more than 700 people -- those are government employees!
According to statistics published by Zoom Prospector, the government sector in all of Genesee County employs more than 6,000 people (those are all public-sector jobs and include teachers, law enforcement, et.al.)! That's a lot of government for the 15,500 people in the City and the 60,000 people in the County. That also translates to a lot of non-wealth-generating expense for Genesee County taxpayers.
Contrast that with the City of Weston, Fla. Weston consists of about 67,700 people with an elected government of five people and a whopping nine additional employees. That's right, a total of 14 government employees manage the entire government for 67,700 people!
Now I realize this is an apples-to-oranges comparison on some levels, but even if county-provided services (e.g., Weston contracts the Broward County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement services -- yes, a county-run police force can effectively cover a city, in fact, multiple cities of substantial size) are included, Weston does not come anywhere near the County's 700 (more like 800-plus if you count all the municipalities in Genesee County) and certainly not 6,000 government employees for its 67,700 people. Yet Weston has streets, parks, sidewalks, businesses, homes, services, and everything else (except the same weather and state income taxes) we have in Genesee County.
It's time we look closely at the way we have been running government in Genesee County. Justifying three paid county legislators because Batavia is a third (or more accurately a quarter) the Genesee County population is not logical.
Are the needs of the citizens in the three legislative districts for the City of Batavia any different at the County level? Couldn't a single county legislator effectively represent the City? However many paid county legislators makes sense -- how about they retain an attorney as necessary and hire a county manager who then hires a clerk, treasurer, and a handful of department heads. Then contract the rest of the work out to the public sector and augment with part-time employees when necessary.
I realize it's not that simple to implement in a snap, but why can't we envision the optimum solution and put a plan in place to make it a reality? Why do we allow ourselves to perpetuate inefficiency? Do we really need nine elected officials on Batavia City Council? We elect multiple highway superintendents, clerks, judges, attorneys, coroners, treasurers, et.al., across the County and our various municipalities. Then an army of government-hired employees is assembled to perform everything government decides to undertake.
Why? How are the citizens of Genesee County benefiting from it all? Do we really need 6,000-plus government employees in Genesee County? Can we prosper with that proportion of government employment? Can we even survive? Should government even be in the business of providing services that are already available in the private sector, especially when the government-provided services are not fiscally responsible to all taxpayers?
If you believe government as a whole in the country is bloated, consider that about 15 percent of our active national workforce is employed in the public sector. That IS substantial and unsustainable. Meanwhile, here in Genesee County, about 20 percent of our active workforce is employed by the government! And on average, those public employees are paid as well as or better than most of the remaining 80 percent of the workforce in the County!
Genesee County has become a microcosm of all the problems we see at the state and federal levels: attempting to do too much with too many fingers in the pie. Let's get back to basics. We don't need to reinvent the wheel, we just need to strive for efficiency. Nay, we need to excel at efficiency! We need to stop expecting government to fill every role in our community and instead give citizens back the power, resources, and freedom to invest in solutions that work best for them.
We're on the verge of electing a new County Legislature -- let's elect the candidates who are unafraid to relinquish control and advocate an efficient, streamlined government.
For reference, here's a blog (sorry, it's 18 months old) on how Weston does it:
http://www.governing.com/blogs/view/How-.htm
July 8, 2010 - 2:46pm
The 25 highest paid public employees in Genesee County
posted by Howard B. Owens in genesee county, government.
Using data from See Through New York, here's a list of the 25 highest paid public employees in Genesee County in 2009 (the most recent year with complete data available).
Edward Orman: $236,708, Superintendent, Pavilion Central Schools
Gary Mix: $211,413, Superintendent Pembroke Central Schools
Steve Hyde: $199,259, President and CEO, GCEDC
Gregory Geer: $149,605, Superintendent, Byron-Bergen Central School District
Martin Basinait: $137,850, Director, Western Off-Track Betting
Cindy Herzog: $132,708, Superintendent, Le Roy Central School District
Margaret Puzio: $127,000, Superintendent, Batavia City Schools
Christopher Todd: $123,600, Superintendent, Oakfield-Alabama Central Schools
Michael Crowley: $121,242, CFO, BOCES
Lawrence Friedman: $118,187, District Attorney, Genesee County
Pamela Buresch: $117,862, Administrator of Student Assessment, Batavia City Schools
Kathleen Maerten: $115,200, Superintendent, Alexander Central Schools
Stephen Mahoney: $112,077, Human Resources, BOCES
Kevin Hamilton: $110,430 Vice President for Finance and Operations, Genesee Community College
Michael Glover: $109,301, Superintendent, BOCES
Gregory MacAluso: $109,301 Asst. Superintendent, BOCES
Sheila Eigenbrod: $109,275, Middle & High School Principal, Pavilion Central Schools
Joan Cole: $108,250 Superintendent, Elba Central Schools
William Lang: $107,201, Asst. Superintendent, Pembroke Central Schools
Sandra Griffin: $105,935, Middle School Principal, Batavia City School
Trisha Finnigan: $105,924, Director of Special Education, Batavia City School
Brian Moran: $105,454, Athletic Director, Le Roy Central School District
Keith Palmer: $105,065, Principal, Pembroke Central Schools
Ted Hale: $104,700, Director of Instructional Programs, BOCES
Craig Williams: $104,581, Fire Captain, City of Batavia
UPDATE: In comments, Jeff Allen correctly points out that we left out judicial salaries. The bottom three on the list above would have been pushed off by the following three judges:
Robert Noonan, $139,479, Fourth Judicial Department, County Court Judge
Eric Adams, $123,240, Fourth Judicial Department, Family Court Judge
Robert Balbick, $115,540, Fourth Judicial Department, City Court Judge
October 18, 2009 - 12:59pm
Banning Clotheslines
posted by Bea McManis in government, intervention, clotheslines.
What do you think? Should clothes lines be banned?
I say, no way!
http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/join-the-fight-to-legalize-clotheslines/
September 5, 2009 - 10:50am
County Legislature Meets Wednesday at 7 p.m.
posted by Howard B. Owens in Announcements, government, County Legislature.
The Genesee County Legislature meets Wednesday, 7 p.m., at the Old Courthouse.
Resolutions (PDF)
September 3, 2009 - 4:22pm
posted by David Green in batavia, budget, city council, government, taxes.
I know there has been a lot of talk about the City of Batavia saving money. Here is an idea that seems to be going around Erie county, lets downsize Council. Batavia seems to have a large council considering the times, maybe eliminating the two "at large" positions to cut more fat from the city budget might be a good idea. Not sure if it has been looked at, but if we are looking to save money in the city, why not start at the top? Maybe its just me, but wouldnt that be responsible government?
July 13, 2009 - 2:53pm
County Legislature Ways and Means Committee Minutes, July 1, 2009
Download: PDF of County Legislature's Ways and Means Committee Minutes for July 1, 2009.
Genesee County Legislature Minutes, July 8, 2009
Download: PDF of County Legislature Minutes for July 8, 2009.
Attorney General promoting government consolidation
posted by bud prevost in government.
AG Cuomo was in Rochester today on his tour of NY, to promote and educate people about government consolidation in our great state. I added the link for the web site. I say this is timely, given talk of town and city of Batavia merging. http://www.reformnygov.com/
June 22, 2009 - 12:22pm
WRITE your STATE SENATORS - the only thing they can do is PAY THEMSELVES
posted by Irene Will in government.
State Senators Agree On Collecting Their Paychecks
From http://www.nypolitics.com/2009/06/19/state-senators-agree-on-collecting-their-paychecks/
The state Senate may be at odds over who controls the chamber, but each side signed paperwork last week to ensure they and their staffs got paid.
Amid the chaos over control of the Senate, Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, and dissident Democratic Sen. Pedro Espada, D-Bronx, signed paperwork last week so senators and staff were paid.
Sen. Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, and Senate secretary Angelo Aponte also signed the necessary paperwork, but separate from the Republicans, according to the state Comptroller's Office.
The Senate's presiding officer typically signs off on the payroll, but because that's in dispute, both sides submitted their own paperwork.
Gov. David Paterson said if they can find a way to work out the payroll, they should find a way to resolve their leadership struggle.
"So there is a power-sharing agreement * but it only includes getting paid," said spokeswoman Marissa Shorenstein. "If the leadership of the Senate can agree on a way to keep getting paid, they can reach an agreement to get back to work for the people of New York."
But Republicans said the governor's claims are false: The sides didn't agree to sign the paperwork together; they did so independently. Each senator gets a base salary of $79,500.
The payroll flap comes as the standoff between Democrats and Republicans went into its 11th day Thursday. Senators went home for the weekend after Republicans held an unsuccessful session where no Democrats other than Espada showed up.
They are expected to return Monday, which is scheduled to be the last day of the legislative session.
The Senate has been at a standstill since June 8, when Republicans and two Democrats led a coup to oust the Democratic majority. Democrats refuse to acknowledge the vote and one of the rogue Democrats, Sen. Hiram Monserrate, D-Queens, rejoined the Democratic conference, putting the Senate in its 31-31 stalemate.
There are more than 100 bills pending in the Legislature that affect county governments and property taxpayers, said Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties. In particular, 36 counties need to have their sales-tax rates reauthorized.
Moving This Topic Out of Elba Schools
posted by Bea McManis in government, czars, communism, facism, fear mongering, socialism.
Posted by Andrew Erbell on June 10, 2009 - 9:19am
But, I'm fear-mongering, right? You do know all these czars the President has been appointed are accountable to no-one except the President, right? I thought our country was founded with a system of checks and balances in government?
President Obama is not the first to name a superaide to an extraordinarily powerful position accountable only to him. Richard Nixon may have begun the practice, with an "energy czar," and President Bush named Tom Ridge the White House czar of homeland security before the Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security was created.
The people and most of the media are complicit. People beg the president to solve all their problems, as if he was some combination of a shaman, doctor, teacher, commander, worker of magic and all-powerful cult leader, and instead of protesting such veneration we go along with it.
Speaking of Czars....
President Bush Approves 'Copyright Czar' Bill
by Chloe Albanesius
President Bush on Monday approved a controversial bill that will effectively create a "copyright czar" within the White House.
Bush signed the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property (PRO-IP) Act, a measure that will create several new government enforcement positions.
The Senate approved the bill on Sept. 30 after Sen. Ron Wyden successfully requested that Congress remove a provision requiring the Department of Justice to enforce copyright provisions.
The DOJ told a House Judiciary subcommittee in December that the PRO-IP Act was unnecessary and counterproductive to the work it has already accomplished.
The bill does, however, create an Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC) who will serve within the Office of the President. The IPEC will chair a committee made up of representatives from the Office of Management and Budget, the DOJ, the U.S. Trade Representative, the Patent and Trademark Office, the Department of Homeland Security, the FDA, and others.
www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2332432,00.asp
President Bush's Drug Czar Invades Politics
Posted July 18, 2007 | 04:44 PM (EST)
In a startling discovery of what appears to reek of the stench of collusion, a Congressional committee has discovered evidence that the nation's drug czar and his deputies traveled to almost two dozen events with vulnerable Republican members of Congress in the months prior to the 2006 elections. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California, Chair of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, alleged that the taxpayer-financed trips were orchestrated by President Bush's political advisers and often combined with the announcement of federal grants or actions that benefited the districts of the Republican members.
The president continues to blatantly compromise the integrity of his administration for political gain, legality and ethics be damned. Two questions should be asked. How long will the drug czar and other public servants continue to use taxpayer money to influence voters on behalf of the Republican party before Congress takes action to stop this clearly unethical and illegal action? President Bush: how long will you fund costly, ineffective and harmful policies as a quid pro quo to secure a few votes?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-piper-and-anthony-papa/president-bushs-drug-cza_b_56811.html?view=print
Bush Finds A War Czar
President Taps 3-Star General To Oversee Military Operations In Iraq And Afghanistan
NEW YORK, May 16, 2007 | by Joel Roberts
President Bush has finally found a war czar. Army Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute will coordinate U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. At least five retired four-star generals turned down the new position before Lute -- a three-star general -- came on board, according to the
Washington Post. The newspaper described Lute as an important behind-the-scenes foe of Mr. Bush's troop buildup in Iraq.
But Mr. Bush's national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, told the New York Times that Lute now supports the president's "surge" strategy. Lute's new role must be confirmed by the Senate.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/16/the_skinny/main2811860.shtml
Bush Names Negroponte Intel Czar
Intelligence Director Will Oversee 15 Agencies, Including CIA
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17, 2005 | by John Esterbrook
CBS/AP) President Bush named John Negroponte, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, as the government's first national intelligence director Thursday, turning to a veteran diplomat to revive a spy community besieged by criticism after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Ending a nine-week search, Mr. Bush chose Negroponte, who has been in Iraq for less than a year, for the difficult job of implementing the most sweeping intelligence overhaul in 50 years.
Negroponte, 65, is tasked with bringing together 15 highly competitive spy agencies and learning to work with the combative Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the brand new CIA Director Porter Goss and other intelligence leaders. He'll oversee a covert intelligence budget estimated at $40 billion.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/17/terror/main674678.shtml
June 2, 2009 - 11:41am
Assemblyman Hawley Votes for Bill to Save Taxpayer Dollars, Make Government More Efficient and Effective
posted by Steve Hawley in consolidation, City Fire, government, Steve Hawley, fire fighters.
HAWLEY VOTES FOR BILL TO SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS,
MAKE GOVERNMENT MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, I, C – Batavia) today voted in favor of Assembly Bill 8501, the "New N.Y. Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act." This legislation would help save taxpayer dollars by allowing local government to become more effective and efficient, while at the same time standardizing state law regarding the process of government consolidation.
"I firmly believe that less government is better government and I have long supported initiatives to consolidate government services, such as during this year's budget negotiation. By consolidating services among the three levels of government, we can more effectively and efficiently serve our collective constituency," said Hawley.
The Assemblyman continued, "at first glance there were some fears about this legislation that I shared with local government agencies. I wanted to make sure that this bill was not just another Albany-imposed mandate. I have taken the time to carefully review the bill and to vet the language with my colleagues in local government as well as to read a number of letters and e-mails my office has received since this bill was introduced. We need to take steps to cut government excess in order to truly protect the taxpayers and businesses of our state and I believe after considering this legislation that this bill will help meet that goal."
The bill puts into place a standardized method for government consolidation, shared services or dissolution of government entities, should that be proposed on a local level. While the Assemblyman originally had some concerns about the bill, upon reviewing the bill language and vetting it through local and state officials, he came to the conclusion that the bill merely clarifies and standardizes the process by which local government entities may consolidate, share services or dissolve, should the voters of the district petition.
The largest among the Assemblyman's original concerns was that the bill outlines that 10 percent of the electorate must sign a petition calling for a referendum on the issue of consolidation, sharing services or dissolution. However, this 10 percent is greater than the current 5 percent standard in Town Law and greater than the percentage needed in most cases for a petition to consolidate adjoining villages under current Village Law. Additionally, the bill provides a safeguard for small villages and government entities with populations of less than 500 residents. In these cases, the bill calls for 20 percent of the population to sign the petition.
Additionally, the Assemblyman shared the concern of some local officials that this measure would put too much power into the hands of county-level officials. However, current state law already gives counties this power. Another concern was that should a referendum be called for, taxpayers would be asked to foot the bill for holding a special election. Yet, the bill directly states that should a referendum be called, it may be held at any time, including on general elections.
Finally, the Assemblyman was concerned that should a referendum be called for and passed, it would give local government entities short notice to lay out plans to consolidate, share services or dissolve. The bill language details the standardized process, which would amount to a minimum of 390 days and, thereafter, it would take up to an additional two years for the plan to be fully implemented.
"At the end of the day, this bill puts the power of change into the hands of the people, which, in my opinion, is where it belongs. This bill does not call for governments to consolidate or dissolve at a local level. It merely gives a standardized process for localities should they consider this option," said Hawley.
To further ensure that certain government entities, such as fire districts, are protected, Hawley is drafting new legislation that would amend A.8501. The Assemblyman stated, "I want to make sure that our fire departments are fully protected and that the bill which was passed does not have any unintended negative consequences for our firefighters, especially in terms of volunteer firefighter recruitment. I will continue working together with the fire districts and volunteer fire departments in the 139th Assembly District and my colleagues in the State Legislature toward this end."
February 4, 2009 - 12:00pm
Poll: Should the government institute executive salary caps?
posted by Philip Anselmo in government, polls.
The New York Times reports this morning that there are plans to institute a $500,000 salary cap for executives whose companies will receive large amounts in the proposed bailout. From that article:
The new rules would be far tougher than any restrictions imposed during the Bush administration, and they could force executives to accept deep reductions in their current pay. They come amid rising public fury about huge pay packages for executives at financial companies being propped up by federal tax dollars.
Executives at companies that have already received money from the Treasury Department would not have to make any changes. But analysts and administration officials are bracing for a huge wave of new losses, largely because of the deepening recession, and many companies that have already received federal money may well be coming back.
Should the government institute executive salary caps?
( surveys)
Cuomo proposes plan for elminating some government agencies
posted by Howard B. Owens in consolidation, government, Andrew Cuomo.
The idea of consolidation of local governments is on its face appealing. It holds out the promise of cost savings, if not lower taxes, as well as reduced regulations on businesses.
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo thinks there are too many government agencies in New York.
"Simply put, our system of local government is broken. It has been outpaced by globalization, regionalization, and an ever changing marketplace," he said. "The density of local government in New York is astounding. There are 10,521 overlapping government units, providing duplicative services creating needless, wasteful bureaucracies."
The questionable assumption in Cuomo's statement is that globalization and regionalization (never heard that word before) is a good thing.
One could make the case that the smaller the government agency, the closer it is to the people it effects, and the more responsive it is to small group or individual needs.
Here are some other assertions worth further examination:
The law is filled with anachronisms. More disturbing is that the law contains provisions that are relics of the past that conjure up images of "poll taxes." In some cases, an individual may vote to dissolve or consolidate governments, such as special districts, only if they own taxable real property in the area.
Comparing current laws in New York to racist policies of a Jim Crow era is a pretty loaded. What civil rights are being impinged by the current system?
Again, the idea of consolidation has its appeal. With 10K+ government bodies in New York, you can be assured that many are receiving totally inaccurate oversight.
As a young reporter in California, I loved covering special districts because they received such little attention from journalists. That lack of oversight encouraged a devil-may-care attitude among the officials charged with running the districts. Their expense reports were often a playground of excess if not outright maleficence. There's no doubt that there are redundant and uncessary districts in WNY.
However, I would be leery of any consolidation scheme that diminishes a small town's ability to engage in self rule. Residents shouldn't lose the ability to rub elbows with the elected officials who decided how to spend their tax money.
(Link via Buffalo Pundit)
700 Billion Dollar "Bailout"
posted by Mark Wiatrowski in government, nation and world.
Let me begin by saying that I'm far from being a genius. All this talk about this large bailout has me concerned and confused.
Big corporations and lending institutions have made a grave misjudgement in how they handle their finances. The apparent answer is for the American people to pay the government this money that they gave to these institutions to keep operating.
Why do we have to foot the bill for other peoples mistakes? If I mishandle my finances, I'm sure not going to ask my neighbors to pay for it.
I understand the country is in trouble, but I feel that the ones responsible for this situation should be the ones to correct it.
News roundup: Spending an Open Book
posted by Philip Anselmo in wbta, government, Albany, finance.
WBTA's Chad Zambito tells us about a new Web site for state residents that allows anyone with the inclination to search out how much their municipality is spending, in real dollars. The site is called Open Book New York, and it was launched and will be maintained by the state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Really, folks, it's this easy:
Zambito did us the favor searching the city of Batavia. Spending for the city was $24 million in 2006, while $5.5 million of that went to public safety. You can look at figures as far back as 1996, but no later than 2006, at least for the time being.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Virtual Library of Newspaper Articles
"Mistake for Love"
Former High School Teacher Regrets Affair With Her One-Time Student
Heather Ingram says she now regrets having an affair with her former student.
V A N C O U V E R, British Columbia, Sept. 30, 2004 -- Until Heather Ingram met Dusty Dickeson, she never considered risking her successful teaching career for the attention of a boy, even if he embodied everything she desired during her own high school days.
I can remember the first time I saw Dusty. I actually did a double-take. I went, 'Oh! He's beautiful.' He was just stunning," Ingram said on ABC News' Good Morning America.
He was and probably still is the person that I would have been attracted to in high school who would not have known my name," she said.
Five years ago, Ingram, now 35, was a well-respected, award-winning high school teacher in a town outside Vancouver, British Columbia. But her admiration for one of her students went too far.
Ingram's sexual affair began with Dickeson an 11th-grader in her accounting class when he was 17, just five months shy of becoming a legal adult.
As Ingram chronicles in her book, Risking It All: My Student, My Lover, My Story, she was flattered when Dickeson, an attractive and popular student, showed her atttention.
The sexual relationship began after Ingram invited Dickeson and some of his peers over to watch a video at her home one night. When Dickeson's friends left, he stayed on and the two made love for the first time.
After that night, Ingram promised herself that it wouldn't happen again, but when Dickeson called the next day, she agreed to meet him.
After 10 months, Ingram was forced to confess the affair to the school principal after another teacher threatened to expose her.
Ingram was fired from her teaching position and charged with exploiting a minor. Dickeson told authorities that the affair was consensual, but Ingram was sentenced to 10 months under house arrest.
After Ingram's secret was exposed, she and Dickeson moved in together and he quit school. The couple eventually had a son together, who is now 10 months old. But in the end, the relationship didn't survive. Ingram says the age difference proved to be too much.
"Do I feel that I exploited Dusty, which is really what I was convicted of? No. I don't feel like I did that. And he doesn't either. What I feel like I did was make a huge mistake for love."
Ingram says she now sees why she should have fought her feelings, instead of acting on them. But the former teacher says she has to forgive herself to take care of their son.
I think we damaged each other in a lot of ways," Ingram said. "I think mostly I damaged myself by making, what in retrospect, was such a poor decision."
Mommy's little secret
The article contains info about children's identity fraud at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
December 14, 2002.
Includes interview with employees of Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada who admit they deny children's identity information to husbands/male partners of mothers who want to hide the real identity of their child because they had an affair. The U.N. Convention on the Rights of The Child specifically supports a child's human right to have a relationship with both his/her biological parents. In addition, this article is proof that The Hospital for Sick Children ("Sick Kids") supports paternity fraud.
Further "Sick Kids" supports a mother's rights only, which they view, supersedes 3 other people's rights, namely, the rights of the biological father, the rights of the mother's male partner/husband and the child's identity rights. Read More ..
Man Can Sue Woman For Sperm Theft Distress
Associated Press, U.S.A.
CHICAGO (AP) A woman accused of using her lover's sperm to impregnate herself without his knowledge can be held liable for the unwitting father's emotional pain, the Illinois Appellate Court has ruled.
In the ruling released Wednesday, a three-judge panel reinstated part of a lawsuit against Sharon Irons, a doctor from Olympia Fields. The ruling sends the case back to Cook County Circuit Court.
Irons was sued by her former lover, Chicago family physician Richard O. Phillips, who accused her of a "calculated, profound personal betrayal" of him after a brief affair they had six years ago. Read More ..
Australian Father Wins Paternity Fraud Case
Woman failed to tell man he was not father
West Australian News
A pregnant woman has a duty of care not to tell a sexual partner he is the father of her unborn child if it is possible another man is the real father a District Court judge has ruled.
And mother-of-three, Kellie Gray, of Pinjarra, was negligent in not having a paternity test done as soon as her son was born, Judge John Wisbey said in his judgement in a damages action by a father who turned out not to be the father.
Rodney Macdonald, of Kewdale, claimed damages of about $70,000AUD from Ms Gray on the grounds that he was tricked into believing he was the father of her son. He gave up a well paid mining job to move to Perth to be nearer the child. Read More ..


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Recommended Laptops
Laptop Tips
Best Gaming Laptop Under $1500: Play Newest Games
Last updated on: November 6, 2019
If you're serious about gaming then you'll be wanting to invest in a gaming laptop.
Gaming laptops have faster speed, greater memory, better graphics, and faster processing power than your standard laptop.
But don't think that a gaming laptop will break the bank!
Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop PC 9th Gen
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop
ROG Strix SCAR II Gaming Laptop
Lenovo Legion Y7000 Gaming Laptop
14.2 x 10 x 0.9 inches
14.17 x 10.55 x 0.162 inches
5.74 x 10.76 x 1.03 inches
Nvidia GeForce GTX1060
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Discrete Graphics
8th Gen Intel Core i7
Intel Core i7-8750H
16 GB DDR4
You can get a very impressive gaming laptop for less than $1500 to allow you to play the newest games with no hassles.
In this article, we zoom in on the 5 best gaming laptops under $1500 that are on the current market.
We also provide you with answers to your most pressing gaming laptop questions in our FAQ section.
Best Gaming Laptops Under $1500 Reviews & Recommendations For 2019
Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop PC, 15.6″ 9th Gen
Best Gaming Laptop Under $1500 Overall: Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
This Acer Predator notebook features an 8th Gen-Intel Core i7-8750H processor to deliver an impressive array of smart features.
You get a 144 Hz refresh rate to deliver amazingly smooth 2-D motion viewing. Input lags and frame rendering are minimized.
The Predator sense gaming control panel provides customization so you can control such things as system temperature, CPU fan speed, and system fan speed.
Some reviewers have mentioned that this laptop has issues with overheating.
The keyboard and touch board quality is also lacking.
The Predator gaming laptop hs a 15.6" full HD panel with IPS technology and an sRGB color gamut.
The result is a brilliant color from any viewing angle.
Acer TrueHarmony and Dolby Audio Premium deliver an excellent sound experience.
The keyboard is backlit in red. The compartment door on this impressive gaming laptop allows you to update storage and memory as needed.
The predator gaming laptop is an exceptional product that delivers an outstanding gaming experience at an unbeatable price.
Its high-level specs will meet the requirements of the latest games for years to come.
Overall, this is a great buy!
Dimensions: 10.5 x 15.3 x 1.1 inches
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX1060
CPU: 4.1 GHz Intel Core i7
Runner Up - Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop PC, 15.6" 9th Gen
This Acer Predator gaming laptop features 9th Gen procesor. Many of the features are the same as our top-rated model but there are some key differences.
It features NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics, the latest 9th Gen Intel Core i7 Processor and Acer's custom-engineered 4th Gen AeroBlade 3D Fan Technology.
The 144Hz IPS panel and 3ms Overdrive ensure that you get a consistent, clear and crisp player experience.
This Acer predator is more expensive than the 8th Gen model. The fan on this laptop is also too loud for comfort.
The Gen 9 Acer Predator incorporates Predator Sense to allow you to customize and control your gaming experience.
A simple tap of the Predator Sense control keys gives you control of the lighting, fan speed, overclocking and game profiles.
Killer Doubleshot Pro is a cool feature that allows you to decide which applications will take up your bandwidth.
This platform is VR headset enabled. It also incorporates Waves MAXXAudio technology to deliver a very impressive quality of sound.
The keyboard also impresses with see-through backlighting and concave keycaps.
The Gen 9 Acer Predator costs a bit more than our top-rated gaming laptop but delivers a bit more in terms of functionality and performance.
However, it is also noisier than the 8th Gen model. We prefer the 8th Gen, but this is a close second!
Dimensions: 14.2 x 10 x 0.9 inches
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX1660Ti
Honorable Mention: ASUS ROG Zephyrus S Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop
The ROG Zephyrus S is an ultra-slim gaming laptop with 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q design.
You also get a 144Hz/3ms display.
This version is 12 percent thinner than the original Zephyrus.
The display on this gaming laptop is especially impressive, with a high refresh rate that makes the game flow much more smoothly.
The 3ms gray-to-gray response time delivers ultra-clear visuals with absolutely zero blurring.
The ROG Zephyrus S is a very power-hungry laptop, which means that it does not have very good battery life.
The screen has been seen to bleed after some time.
The ROG Zephyrus S allows for lots of connectivity thanks to its Type-C (USB-C) ports at USB 3.1 Gen 2 and Gen 1 speeds, Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 2 and USB 2.0 ports.
The Zephyrus S automatically adjusts fan speeds based on CPU and GPU temperatures. It also has upgraded 12V fans and anti-dust panels.
The keyboard on this laptop ensures 20 million keypress durability. Backlight colors can even be customized to suit your style.
The ROG Zephyrus S is another impressive gaming computer that you can pick up for well under $1500.
Its visuals are extremely impressive and its slimline design makes for great portability.
However, it is poor on battery life, which kind of defeats the purpose of portability!
Dimensions: 14.17 x 10.55 x 0.162 inches
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
CPU: 8th Gen Intel Core i7
Honorable Mention: ROG Strix SCAR II Gaming Laptop
The ROG Strix SCAR II stands out with its unique Kevlar weave and camouflage-inspired markings around the keyboard that channels the battle environment.
Its unique weave and color overlay is achieved thanks to a unique 3D-weave and color overlay.
The Strix SCAR II features an ultra-smooth 144Hz narrow-bezel display with a 3ms gray-to-gray (GTG) response time.
The ROG Strix SCAR II has a not overly functional keyboard.
The ROG Strix SCAR II integrated 802.11ac wireless card is hooked up to four antennas, whch is simply amazing for a laptop (especilly in this process range).
It also provides an impressive number of ports, including SB Type-A, USB Type-C, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, RJ45 Ethernet, and an SD card reader.
This laptop also delivers auto fan adjustment on GPU and CPU temperatures. It also features upgraded 12v fans and anti-dust tunnels.
The ROG Strix SCAR II is an extremely cool looking gaming laptop that also performs very well. It looks great, has impressive visuals and delivers a smooth stream with minimum lag time.
Dimensions: 5.74 x 10.76 x 1.03 inches
The Lenovo Legion Y7000 matches up to the firepower of its competitors with an Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Discrete Graphics, 16 GB DDR4 RAM, 1 TB HDD, and 128GB PCIe SSD.
At just 5.2 pounds and a thinness of 1.1 inches, it provides ideal portability.
This laptop provides you with a 17.3-inch screen, which is very impressive.
The Lenovo Legion Y7000 gives poor battery performance, with most users only able to get two hours out of a full charge.
The mount between the screen and the keyboard doesn't feel very secure. The key placement is also a bit awkward, especially when the computer is sitting on your lap.
The Lenovo Legion Y7000 FHD Display features bezels that are only 0.3 inches thin.
You get an impressive 15.6-inch FHD display with 300 nits of brightness.
The high response keyboard is backlit in white. 1.7mm of key travel provides superior ergonomics.
The Lenovo Legion Y7000 is thermally optimized to provide cooler and quieter operation.
The Lenovo Legion 7000 provides a pleasing balance between style and performance.
It looks great with its sleek aluminum design and latest generation specs that allow you to get a great gaming experience every time.
The 17.3-inch screen is truly impressive at this price point.
Dimensions: 14.22 x 1.06 x 10.51 inches
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Discrete Graphics
CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H
Gaming Laptop under $1500 FAQ
What can you expect from a gaming laptop under $1500?
The weight of an 11-inch laptop will vary from 2.0 pounds to 4.0 pounds.
The lightest 11-inch laptop on the market is the Macbook Air 11, which comes in at just under two pounds.
Toshiba notebooks in this size range weigh between 3.0-3.5 pounds.
How can you upgrade a gaming laptop under $1500?
No, you probably will not be able to play newer games on an 11-ich laptop.
What the laptop makes up for in portability and convenience, it lacks in terms of firepower.
The majority of 11-inch laptops are powered by Intel Celeron or Intel Pentium processors.
These processors are extremely low powered, lacking the energy needed to power the demands of today's high-end games.
What should I look for in a gaming laptop monitor?
Yes, you can watch movies on an 11-inch laptop.
However, the lack of power of the CPU may cause lagging which will impact on your viewing experience.
Because of the lack of storage on an 11-inch laptop, you shouldn't store movies on your ultra-portable laptop.
What should I look for in a gaming keyboard?
No, you do not need a touch screen on your laptop.
This functionality comes with both advantages and disadvantages.
On the plus side, a touch screen adds a whole new level of scrolling convenience.
This can be especially beneficial for children, who find it more natural to reach out and touch than to operate through a keyboard.
On the negative side, a touchscreen will add a huge demand to your battery power. This is the case even if you don't actually use the feature very often.
That's because it takes a lot of extra energy simply to support the capacitive screen.
As a guide, you will lose about 25 percent of your battery power by adding a touchscreen to your laptop.
While it's true that a touchscreen can be a handy addition to an app, there are very few, if any, apps out there where touchscreen functionality also enhances performance.
On top of that, you've got the finger smears on the screen to contend with.
What should I know about battery life on a gaming laptop?
A laptop is a condensed version of a PC, with less powerful componentry and all of the inner workings compressed into a small space.
The ultra-portable laptop is a condensed version of a standard laptop.
So, when you buy an 11-inch laptop you are, in effect, getting a condensed version of a condensed version.
That means that there are going to be some major compromises in comparison to either a PC or a standard laptop.
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is going to be a lot smaller and a lot less powerful.
Many 11-inch laptops use either an Intel Celeron or an Intel Pentium processor.
You also get a lot less storage capacity than you would on either a PC or a standard laptop. The third big compromise is with regard to battery life.
What is the best GPU for a gaming laptop?
The most important feature when it comes to performance on an ultra-portable laptop is the CPU. If you are after speed of processing, you will want a device that has an Intel Core i5 or Core l7 processor.
In terms of memory, try to find a model that provides you with 8 GB, though the majority will limit you to 4.
You should also look for the best graphics processor you can get. Most of them use integrated graphics, such as the HD Graphics 620 from Intel.
This will allow you to stream media and do most other things, but if you are wanting to do some serious gaming, it won't meet your demands.
If you want to do some gaming, looking for a discrete graphics chip, such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070.
Your ultra-portable laptop should have a Solid State Drive (SSD). A storage capacity of 256 SSD GB is standard on 11-inch laptops.
This should be sufficient for most users.
When it comes to screen resolution, the standard resolution on mid-level 11-inch laptops is 1366 x 768.
Many people find the dual functionality of an ultra-portable laptop that flips into a tablet to be very useful, so this is a feature to look out for. The clever use of hinges and a swivel design permit you to fold the screen so that it can be used without the keyboard.
What are some extra features of a laptop in this price range?
For a gaming laptop under $1500, you can expect to get a 13.5-inch touch display.
You can also get an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB PCIe SSD.
You can also expect 5-8 hours of battery life from a single charge.
What are some tips when buying a gaming laptop?
Spend a little more to get as good a GPU as you can afford. You can't upgrade the GPU, so getting the best you can now allow you to play high setting games for a long time to come.
Decide what is more important – resolution or speed; quality in one will compromise the other!
Check that the keyboard is user-friendly and, ideally, backlit.
Check battery life – 4 hours is the sweet spot that you should be looking for. Gaming takes up a lot of energy, so high battery life will cost you in terms of GPU performance.
For gaming, the GPU is actually more important than the CPU. If you've got a good GPU, you can get away with a Core i5 processor.
In terms of RAM, you really don't want anything less than 8 GB. If you can, look for a gaming laptop that provides you with 16. Keep in mind that you can always upgrade the memory later, so don't make a lack of RAM a game-breaker.
In terms of storage, ideally you will want a gaming laptop that provides you with both Hard Drive and SSD. You shouldn't have to look too hard to find a laptop under $1500 that provides you with both 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD.
There are some extremely impressive gaming laptops on the current market that you can pick up for less than $1500.
Our overall favorite is the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop with Intel i7-8750H, GTX 1060 6GB, 16GB DDR4, 256GB NVMe SSD.
Our silver medal goes to the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop PC, with15.6″ Full HD 144Hz 3ms IPS Display, Intel i7-9750H, GTX 1660 Ti 6GB, 16GB DDR4, 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD, Backlit Keyboard.
Coming in as our 3rd favorite gaming laptop under $1500 is the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop PC, with 15.6″ Full HD 144Hz 3ms IPS Display, Intel i7-9750H, GTX 1660 Ti 6GB, 16GB DDR4, 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD, and Backlit Keyboard.
Did you like the article? Please rate it:
Harold Mastiff
Harold is an educated computer science major, and has served roles of IT Manager, Head Product Repair, and Technical Diagnostics at multiple companies over the course of his career. Apart from getting the best overall specs on his laptop for work, Harold constantly tests and grades new, state-of-the-art graphics cards, pre-built laptops, and exceptional hardware to help you get the best out of your laptop.
How to Clean Your Laptop? Definitive Guide
15 Things You Should Do When You Buy A New Laptop
Should I Buy A Gaming Laptop Or Console?
© 2020. All rights reserved. Near Verse.


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News > Crime/Public Safety
This crash near Colfax shows the importance of guardrails
UPDATED: Wed., Dec. 11, 2019
By Emma Epperly emmae@spokesman.com(509) 459-5122
A semitruck carrying multiple other vehicles crashed into the guardrail just north of Colfax on U.S. Highway 195 Wednesday morning.
The car hauler went off the road about 6 a.m. near a pullout area at the top of a hill near Colfax, Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney said. The roadway was snowy at the time.
The region received about 2 inches of snow overnight.
No one was injured in the incident and the road was not blocked, Sevigney said.
A tow truck arrived on scene at about 9:30 a.m to move the semi.
Wordcount: 98
Published: Dec. 11, 2019, 10:09 a.m. Updated: Dec. 11, 2019, 10:44 p.m.
Tags: accident, crash, crime, news, spokane
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My Divorce Was Not a 'Failure' -- Can We Please Stop Calling It That?
A few days ago, I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed, and an article from an entertainment site caught my eye, all because of the "catchy" headline. It read something along the lines of, "Reality TV Couple Finally Speaks Out About Their Failed Marriage." And out of nowhere, I felt my blood begin to boil.
I didn't even bother clicking on the article to find out who the couple was or what they had to say, because I simply couldn't get past the "Failed Marriage" part. For crying out loud, this is 2017, so why in the hell are we still referring to divorce as a "failed marriage"? No, seriously ... what the f**k?
I've been officially divorced for close to two years now, and it's been almost three years since I made the decision to end my marriage. Please note that I said "end." As in the marriage was just over (and had been for quite some time). As in it was time to finally break free of a situation that was not only no longer serving me, but was actually becoming a serious detriment to my emotional health and overall well-being. As in I reached a point where I loved myself enough to close that particular chapter of my life once and for all, in the hopes of writing a new story that will have a much better ending.
No, my marriage did not fail. It ended. There's a big difference between an ending and a failure. And it's about damn time that we started recognizing this instead of shaming divorced people into thinking they've "failed" at life in some way, shape, or form.
Think about it for a minute. If you are stuck in a job that makes you dread getting out of bed every day, one where you sit at your desk and want to cry over just about everything -- and then one day, a new opportunity pops up, and you leave said crappy job and move on to one that is better suited for you -- does that mean you failed at the first one? No. No, it doesn't. It means you had the presence of mind to know that you were not in the right position, so you took the initiative to find something else and make a change. If leaving the wrong job is considered a step forward, why isn't leaving the wrong marriage?
Or if you are midway through your career, and you suddenly realize that you've missed your calling in life and want to do something else entirely, so you start over and go back to school to pursue a new degree in a new field -- does that somehow mean that you didn't succeed in the first path you chose? Again, no. Quite the opposite, in fact. It means you had the courage to take a leap of faith and follow your passion so that you can hopefully have a life that fulfills you. Can someone please tell me how starting over in the sense of ending a marriage is really any different than that?
Again -- divorce is not a failure.
You know what is a failure? Staying in a marriage that is sucking the life out of you, to the point where you stand in front of the mirror not knowing who in the hell you are anymore because you've lost your sense of identity -- and choosing to accept that this is your reality, even if it means living a big, fat lie for God knows how many more years. Sorry, but that's a failure.
More from CafeMom: Men vs. Women: Who Moves on More Quickly After a Divorce?
And then there are those men and women who put up the whole facade of having the "perfect" marriage, but behind closed doors, one or both of them is secretly wishing things were different, they're longing to be with someone else, and/or one of them has taken it so far as to stray from the marriage and cheat on the other person. If that isn't the definition of a "failed marriage," I don't know what is.
For the last time, divorce does not mean you failed. If anything, it means that you finally made yourself a priority and succeeded in doing what is right for you and your family. It means your life is changing, and you are growing and evolving as a person instead of walking in circles with no hope of ever moving in a straight line. And it means that you're not afraid to venture into the unknown and face whatever new challenges life might throw your way, because you have the confidence to rise above and defeat every one of them. No, you are not a failure. As far as the test of life goes, you earned yourself an A+.