In my post Tax Time 209 I have already mentioned Terry Bernardo‘s whining on Facebook. Today, a Freeman article gives us a better picture:
- Ulster County Legislature Chairwoman Terry Bernardo this week launched an attack on Facebook against County Executive Michael Hein, accusing him of using the county Industrial Development Agency to carry out a political vendetta and to shake down Skate Time 209, the business owned by Bernardo and her husband, Len.
Terry Bernardo posted on her Facebook page:
- “Sending someone into my business, pretending to want to book a birthday party, in order to get jobs information, to use in a political campaign is dirty politics. Hiring that person to an $80,000 job after winning the election smacks of political payback. Continuing that vendetta together with the fake birthday party booker for the next 4 years to shake down my business for political purposes, to amend an existing contract that has been in place for 7 years, and has 3 years to go (2 years on another part), is just vile. And the partnership and complicity with the local newspapers and government in this matter is sordid.”
She’s referring to her husband 2008 failed candidacy but describes her own modus operandi: using private information in a dirty political campaign, hiring political cronies for a quarter million dollars after winning the election, continuing a vendetta against her challenger, you name it… The post appeared after the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) voted to take away all property tax breaks given to the Bernardos’ business if the couple doesn’t agree to a voluntary reduction in tax breaks.
- Skate Time 209 was one of several businesses identified by the agency as not meeting job projections. But, in her Facebook posting, Bernardo insinuates that IDA – headed by Town of Rochester Republican Chairman David O’Halloran – is in cahoots with Mike Hein to shake down Skate Time 209. “It has nothing to do with previous political attacks,” O’Halloran said. “It has to do with a cleanup behavior initiated by the current (IDA) board.”
“They are caught in the net,” O’Halloran said of the Bernardos.
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
Rochester Smoke Out 
Yeah it sucks when someone uses your own MO against you!
And she is mad at David Ohalloran cuz he finally stepped up to the plate to do the right thing!
Suck it up!
I’m relatively new to politics here in Ulster County so I want to make sure I get this correct; if anyone does exactly what they are suppose to do they are viewed as being in “cahoots” with a political opponent by current elected officials, or is this specific to the Republican elected officials?
Maybe this David O’Halloran should run for legislator. He sounds like a guy who can think for himself and is willing to do the right thing even without the blessings of his party’s elected officials. Seems this guy can’t be “bought”.
Bernardo complaining is a joke; you follow the agreement you get the benefit, you don’t… well.. you pay back what you cheated!
With IDA, it’s the intention that counts, the intention to lie and defraud; a Freeman commenter makes a little computation – they knew from get go they could not create 20 jobs, the numbers didn’t make sense in the business plan:
Kingstonfollies
They don’t have the employment numbers that they promised… that’s it… It’s not an evil business but it is a company that fraudulently filed for a PILOT and hasnt held up their end of the agreement. Why would any politician want to stand behind a company like this now?? It’s not personal it’s business… too bad we don’t have more business minded people in charge, they may have been able to figure out what it really costs to have 20 full-time employees and known the roller rink was never going to meet this criteria… it is in Accord not NYC after all… do some math, even on the low side of $25k per year that’s $500,000.00 a year in salaries for employees only, before payroll taxes. Factor in owners’ salaries, taxes, benefits, untilites and this place needs to clear $23-25k per week to sustain 20 employees… do you really think they are doing those kind of numbers in a roller rink in Accord NY? Didn’t think so…..
It is hard to imagine that a person who is Chair of the Ulster County Legislature would even attempt to fight this battle. Hey– only 2-3 years of tax breaks remaining and she would rather give them up rather than reduce the benefits to the actual employees that have been hired? It seems she thinks it is OK for all of us to continue to subsidize HER business with OUR property taxes. This seems like an out of control spoiled brat! She does not deserve to be entrusted with being an elected official, let alone Chair.
Lets only hope the people of the Town of Rochester realize this and get some new elected official that have some ethics and credibility
The scariest thing is the Bernardos’ ability to mislead people in all parties! When getting the approval for Skate Time 209 they were half-way in the Democratic administration’s collective ass, all kisses and hugs. In her first run for office in 2007, Terry never used the word Republican next to her name. Now she is the Republican poster girl, shouting “Cuomo’s got to go!” The fraudulently named Independence Party is headquartered in her bathroom, and the Conservatives can’t stop using free passes at the rink…
7:41 right on they use all and everyone they can for their own persoal gain. Something like O’Halloran does
David deserves some credit… I’m not saying he is eligible for sainthood but the man does give to the community he lives in. Any time the school, any of the kid orientated organization, individuals in need, etc… He helps out not just financially, he volunteers his services and time, reaches out to others to assist. Also, he is a business man and with the economy the way it is right now everyone is fighting for a share of the very small pie that is available.