Conroy for Troy - Times Union Endorsement

".... If Troy wants to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, it will demand a mayor who will be up front with them on every issue. We think James Conroy is that man."

THE ISSUE: Troy voters face a choice between past and future.

THE STAKES: New leadership will help continue recent successes.

read the entire endorsement

Metroland Endorses Jim Conroy Nov 1, 2007

"..we think the former Deputy Mayor Jim Conroy has the will and determination to set some of those issues right." Metroland article November 1, 2007

Jim Conroy for Mayor takes to the airwaves!

If it wasn't for Jim Conroy..

So what do you think about the election for Troy Mayor?

People before politics!

Don't sell the city (Hall) short!

• Harry Tutunjian's short-sighted election year plan is illegal, unfeasible and costly
  
• Even if it made financial sense for Troy, it can't legally be done
  
• Our politicians have to be held to a higher standard. Selling our City Hall can't be done without public meetings and open bidding
  
• There was no appraisal to set the price of City Hall before the deal was made
  
• City Hall is parkland and municipal waterfront property, which will require State Legislative approval to sell
  
• Harry Tutunjian wanted to approve the deal at their October 4, 2007 meeting
  
• This is the Fourth plan to move City Hall
  
• Harry Tutunjian rejected a plan to replace the City Hall roof in 2003 - his neglect has caused the problems in City Hall
  

Troy deserves better

Tutunjian's Plan
Troy Taxpayers will:

• turn over City Hall for $1 per year
• spend $500,000 on someone else’s building
  
• pay rent of $16,000/mo. Or $192,000/yr, to 5 years ($960,000)
  
• pay to demolish City Hall through a grant ($1.2 million)
  
• set the value of City Hall based upon the price paid for the Verizon Building
  
• get their rent back if the deal goes through (could be 5 yrs.)
  
• give up waterfront property for an older building with less parking
  

The proposed project does not have a feasibility study, design, construction documents, cost benefit analysis or permanent financing.

Jim Conroy's Plan

• Jim Conroy will fix City Hall; replace the roof, stabilize the building and make it energy efficient
  
• Jim Conroy will conduct public meetings to discuss the long-term viability of the current City Hall and evaluate options as to its continued use or possible sale
  
• Jim Conroy will follow the law in every respect when it comes to bidding, he won't short cut the process to get a political headline
  

Other articles about sale of City Hall or TU Editorial

Conroy calls for more debates

Last night's debate coverage can be seen at:

Capital News 9

WTEN

"After last night's debate, we know why Harry has rejected repeated requests to defend his administration's record in front of his own constituents through a debate. He has nothing to say.

When asked by a voter what the most important issue facing Troy is, Harry responded with a 90 second explanation that violent crime in Troy isn't really that bad. As proof, he offered that a lot of people have police officer's cell phone numbers. Meanwhile, over three years (a rather long snapshot in time), violent crime in Troy is up 25% and down throughout the state and in the rest of the Capital Region.

When asked about providing assistance for the less fortunate in our City, Harry offered that he wants to move more people out of public housing into other communities and then they can get jobs cleaning hotel bathrooms in the proposed hotel on Hoosick Street or waiting tables at a downtown Troy restaurant.

I guess we'll never understand Harry's answers because he refuses to meet in front of his own constituents again.

There are three weeks until the election. I propose that we meet once a week in a different part of the City so that the voters can really understand the difference between the current administration and my vision for a Troy that is united for growth and prosperity.

I'm sure that my opponent won't join me in the opportunity to speak directly to his own constituents so I will continue my campaign’s efforts to meet directly with my neighbors and discuss the real problems facing Troy and how we can overcome them."

Troy Mayoral Candidates to debate

Conroy: "Harry Tutunjian Must be Getting Nervous That the People of Troy Are Seeing Through His Arrogance"


(TROY, N.Y.) After more than two months and scores of spurned requests, Harry Tutunjian has finally agreed to debate the issues facing the City of Troy in a public forum.

The debate, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, will be held on October 16th at 7:00 pm at the Commission of Economic Opportunity, 2331 Fifth Avenue in Troy.

"Harry Tutunjian has dodged repeated requests to debate the issues facing Troy. Deadlines have come and gone and opportunities have been missed," said Jim Conroy, candidate for Troy Mayor. "He obviously wanted to avoid a forum where he has to answer tough questions about his administration. It's another example of poor leadership. Troy deserves better."

The October 16 debate is still the only debate that Tutunjian has agreed to despite repeated attempts by several organizations to sponsor more conversations with the Troy mayoral candidates. It also comes more than two months since Conroy first requested a debate on August 15.

"I always welcome the opportunity to talk about the future of the City of Troy with Harry Tutunjian. Anywhere. Anytime. I think our neighbors deserve it" said Conroy.

For more information about Conroy and his vision for Troy, visit www.jimconroyformayor.com.

Conroy Demands that Tutunjian Retract Statements

"It's time that someone starts holding Harry Tutunjian accountable for not telling the truth to the people of Troy."

(TROY, N.Y.) Troy Mayoral candidate Jim Conroy today demanded that Harry Tutunjian issue a retraction of his recently released blatant lies.

"Harry Tutunjian knows quite well that I had nothing to do with the treasurer stealing funds while I was helping to lead the City. In fact, I knew nothing about the situation until it was announced; nor should I have, because the treasurer was an employee of the City Comptroller's office, not my office" said Conroy.

Tutunjian also brought up a ten-year-old issue regarding a HUD loan in response to the fact that New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has endorsed Conroy's campaign.

"First of all, for Harry Tutunjian to bring up this old, irrelevant and untrue allegation proves his desperation and concern about this election," said Conroy. "Secondly, for anyone in the current administration to question anyone's ethics is incredible given this administration's reputation for back room deals, no bid contracts handed out to friends, allegations of employee intimidation, political dirty tricks and ongoing special investigations."

"It's time that someone starts holding Harry Tutunjian accountable for not telling the truth to the people of Troy," said Conroy.

"The situation from ten years ago has been reviewed from every conceivable angle by every conceivable party and in every case I was cleared of any wrongdoing. With that said, though, I regret that I put myself in a situation that caused the people of Troy to doubt my integrity," said Conroy.

"Unlike my opponent I will admit that I can do better. And, also unlike my opponent, I will always tell the truth to the people of Troy."

For more information about Conroy and his vision for Troy, visit http://www.jimconroyformayor.com/.

NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli endorses Conroy for Troy Mayor

(TROY, N.Y.) New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli today announced his endorsement of Jim Conroy, candidate for Troy Mayor.


"Troy needs Jim Conroy for Mayor," DiNapoli said. "He has the vision to help grow the Troy economy, and that growth will provide opportunities for lower taxes and more fiscally responsible government. Jim Conroy will build a government that is more transparent, more open and more responsive to the needs of all of Troy's citizens. I can't wait to work with Jim Conroy to build a better Troy."

"Tom DiNapoli and I are going to fight to fix the things that have gone wrong in Troy over the last four years. We're going to bring government back to the people ...all of the people, not just a few cronies. We're going to bring back professionalism and, most importantly, we're going to put our plans into action, not just the newspapers."

For more information about Conroy and his vision for Troy, visit http://www.jimconroyformayor.com/
Times union coverage
.... the truth about Proctors being considered as City Hall - note assessed value of City Hall!

Jim Conroy's comments at the press event.

Conroy questions progress on City Hall Deal

Promised Release of Appraisal Yet To Happen;
Promised Public Meetings Yet To Be Scheduled;
Promised Legal Rulings Yet To Be Seen.

Conroy: "It looks to me like the people of Troy have at least slowed down Halliburton on the Hudson."

(TROY, N.Y.) Tonight's Troy City Council meeting was originally scheduled to be the final vote on Harry Tutunjian's City Hall deal. Instead, there has been no further discussion of the deal since Mayoral candidate Jim Conroy and Troy Democrats threatened to sue over the legality of the sale.

Several issues were raised by Conroy when Tutunjian first announced the deal:

Is the sale even legal under the City Charter?
Tutunjian promised residents at the September 19 public meeting that the proposed swap was legal and that he could provide case law to prove so. He has yet to publicly disclose his legal grounds. Conroy asked that the deal be looked at by the New York State Comptroller and Attorney General for its legality. Has this request been made?

Shouldn't the City obtain independent appraisals of the property to determine if it is getting a good deal?
Fifteen days ago, Tutunjian promised to release the results of the appraisal that the City had done of the property "tomorrow". To date, no appraisal data has been publicly released.

If legal, shouldn't the deal have been put out to public bid, not concocted behind closed doors in the Mayor's office?
At the September 19 meeting, Tutunjian conceded that the deal could be sent to a public bid but, he chose to do it privately, to date, nothing has been heard of soliciting other proposals. Shouldn't there be more than one public meeting?

Tutunjian promised that the September 19 meeting "was just the beginning of the process" and that there would be more meetings. To date, no further meetings have been scheduled.

"It looks to me like the people of Troy have - at least - delayed Halliburton on the Hudson. Maybe now, Harry Tutunjian will try to listen to the people of Troy before he starts selling our property," said Conroy.

For more information about Conroy's concerns and his vision for Troy, visit http://www.jimconroyformayor.com.

Too Good To Be True?

Critics blast the current proposal to sell Troy City Hall as a back-room deal to boost election-year hype .

..There is a habit of making these announcements, Conroy said. We've had everything from a maritime museum on the river, to selling water to adjacent communities, three different proposals to relocate city hall -one to Proctor's, one to sell it to a hotel, and one to sell it for an office building. It is just another headline with no progress whatsoever.

read more of the Metroland article about City Hall Deal

Conroy Criticizes Crime Increase

Violent Crime In City Has Risen 6% In Last Year

Conroy: "The Real Crime is That City Hall is Ignoring the Problem"



(TROY, N.Y.) Violent crime in Troy has risen 5.9% in the last year according to statistics recently released by the New York State Department of Criminal Justice. Statewide, violent crime figures have dropped 6% and the violent crime in many cities of the state has gone down. During the Tutunjian administration, from 2004 until 2006, violent crime in Troy has risen 25%.

"Our neighbors are afraid of what's happening on the streets and in their schools and Harry Tutunjian has stood idly by, hoping that his ignorance of the problem will make it go away," said Jim Conroy, candidate for Troy Mayor. "Issuing press releases won't solve the problem. Troy needs a plan and to rebuild relationships with our neighborhoods and the police department. Why won't Harry Tutunjian fight crime?"

Conroy recently issued a ten point plan to improving public safety in the Collar City. Included in the plan were fully staffing the police department, encouraging more foot patrols in neighborhoods and developing a forum between residents, the Police Department and the schools to attach crime problems head on.

"Crime is on the minds of all of our residents. The real crime is that City Hall is ignoring the problem."

For more information about Conroy’s public safety plan, see 10 Point Safe Streets Plan in Troy - July 19, 2007...