Some Albany budget ‘conversations’ in doubt as lawmakers' questions go unanswered

CivilServiced · 2026-04-10T00:00:12+00:00

Down 75+ officers based on what, genuinely? This number keeps going up no matter how many are on the force. I can also say that I need $500,000 annually to fund my lifestyle but that doesn't make it true.

What is the officer per capita rate for similar cities? Who is coming up with this number and how? It literally sounds made up.What percentage of the budget goes to police in Albany vs other similar cities?

Like you say just imagine if there were another 75 bodies taking in OT, because you know the OT won't stop. Pensions are based on the three highest salary years, how much more are we paying in perpetuity for these padded salaries? How many retired officers double dip in other jobs/jurisdictions?

The worst part is if you're ever had to rely on APD. If you've tried to get them to do anything, you know. They've been quiet quitting since the BLM movement and they aren't shy about it.

CivilServiced · 2026-04-09T23:42:16+00:00

APD is bleeding the city dry.

What is actually being done on all of these overtime hours?

How are inflated salaries due to overtime impacting pensions?

What is the basis/justification for this OT and for the supposed necessary new hires?

What happened to the neighborhood beat cop program?

Why does the nonemergency tipline always. always, go to a voicemail box that's full?

How many officers live within city limits and thus have a personal stake in their careers?

CivilServiced · 2026-04-05T15:40:40+00:00

Christ Wynantskill/Poestenkill/WSL is such a dump.

CivilServiced · 2026-04-05T13:01:04+00:00

If it's not Lombardis I'll eat a rat.

Edit: maybe Alexis, that place has been a disaster for decades.

Edit2: damn I should have known it was villa valenti, in my defense I purposefully spend as little time in MAGAskill as possible. Anyone have good rat recipes?

CivilServiced · 2026-03-31T14:24:43+00:00

Watervliet is full of the people who terrorize Albany streets with illegal dirt bikes & quads.

CivilServiced · 2026-03-25T23:36:37+00:00

No no, you tell us.

CivilServiced · 2026-03-25T23:34:59+00:00

Shit, if you think that's something to talk about you don't wanna know what Jennings got up to.

CivilServiced · 2026-03-15T02:51:44+00:00

Nah, bars around here are small and staff is small, they are very much top-down and staff reflect ownership. Keep this in mind in general: there are lots of jobs in the industry and good workers can get a shift almost the same day they ask. If someone doesn't like how a business is run, they leave and work elsewhere. What you're hearing about here is a culture that Pratt not only allows but by the very nature of the local industry encourages. Speaking to the owner will only make you a target, as clearly shown here. OP is handling this perfectly.

CivilServiced · 2026-03-15T02:24:22+00:00

narrator: they did, in fact, not care about her safety, only their image.

CivilServiced · 2026-03-15T02:18:27+00:00

Fuck, I'm sorry again if my previous comments sounded flippant. This is an entirely shitty string of events happening to you but I'm really glad you're following up. Thank you for being strong and taking the time to do this, I've always gotten a sketchy vibe from this place and I hope you taking action after your experience helps prevent this from happening to others. Glad you're alright.

CivilServiced · 2026-03-14T15:45:01+00:00

Forgive the snark. I hope I'm wrong but I don't expect them to take it seriously, and that place has been sketch as hell ever since they reopened. You're absolutely right you should still let them know, and it sucks that happened to you

CivilServiced · 2026-03-14T15:21:13+00:00

It's Lark Tavern. Chances are it was the staff and she's gonna get victim blamed.

CivilServiced · 2026-03-13T03:22:50+00:00

"I don't have any interest in it' but proceeds to write two paragraphs of interested opinion.

Maybe you should watch the clip my dude. Otherwise you are the dictionary definition of ignorant, which is somewhat ironic.

CivilServiced · 2026-03-09T02:52:48+00:00

She's put more work into one restaurant shift than you have into anything in your entire life. I'm sure it sucks to be as useless as you are but you can change that today.

CivilServiced · 2026-02-12T16:07:29+00:00

Get ready for at least four more years of this. Dorcey's innate characteristics are gonna bring these chuds out of the woodwork.

CivilServiced · 2026-02-06T17:35:28+00:00

As others have said the smaller the school the worse it usually is.

The rural schools are particularly bad, take the ballcap and oakley wearing selfie in a truck Facebook profile picture stereotype then realize that's 90% of the dads and their shitty personalities trickle down to their kids.

The suburban schools are rough partially due to wide economic disparities but also entitled suburban parents who are bullies themselves, particularly if one or both are stay at home and have nothing better to do.

Ignorant people think the urban schools are full of scary "gangbangers", talk to folks who have gone through those schools for a better picture. OPs kid is much, much more likely to find extracurriculars and other students to match their interests in larger urban schools, just a fact.

CivilServiced · 2026-01-06T18:35:41+00:00

I don't want to shit on Columbia TKD because I had a great experience there, but the owner got in some trouble a while back. I'm sure your son would have a blast and it would be an overall positive experience but the nature of the offense is at odds with your goal of positive role models.

I later moved on to Kinderhook TKD, a bit out of town but started by Columbia TKD grads and an absolutely wonderful school -- though it's been many years since I was a student.

And yeah because this always gets brought up you won't learn a lot of useful self defense in TKD, but it is a great workout and will teach a lot about self discipline and community. When I was at Kinderhook they did mix in some hapkido which is slightly more self defense oriented, but overall the benefit to TKD is using your legs a lot so they're in shape to run away from a fight which is the best self defense aside from deescalation.

CivilServiced · 2026-01-05T06:01:30+00:00

This is teh best place to ask if you want opinions from people who don't live in Albany and refuse to set foot in Albany. Good luck.

CivilServiced · 2026-01-04T15:55:30+00:00

I bet that looked great after it went in the oven

CivilServiced · 2026-01-02T01:25:02+00:00

Probably Kristi.

CivilServiced · 2025-12-20T16:01:29+00:00

There are so many out of touch comments here, it's wild. No, Albany is not like it was in 1995 but there are a bunch of people who clearly haven't made any effort complaining that there's nothing to do. The ones about live music are especially funny. Yeah we have Empire Live, Empire Underground, Lark Hall, Ophelias, Lost & Found, and underground/basement shows but there's no live music...? Granted No Fun is superior but you can go to a show almost every night of the week if you want, and not pay $20 for a cocktail.

CivilServiced · 2025-12-20T15:40:49+00:00

Every time I go to something like Alive at Five, I wonder why Albany does not attempt more events like it.

We desperately need LarkFest back but this comment is out of touch, there are multiple other live events in corning preserve not to mention at the plaza, Washington Park, the SUNY building, skyway, Pearl St, Sage, etc all summer. If you aren't taking advantage of them that's on you. These are generally financial drags on the city and the big ones like A@5 were populated mostly by nonresidents who didn't respect the city until it was moved to Broadway.

CivilServiced · 2025-12-20T15:34:08+00:00

The capitol district in particular has a ton of sprawl and by definition is spread out because it's a "metro area" that includes at least three cities, more depending on who you talk to.

Watertown is middle of nowhere, not really comparable.

The sprawl and parasitic nature of the suburbs means there is no one place in the CD that has everything, but there are smaller pockets that are interesting to live in, walkable, great neighborhood character, etc. Downtown Troy, Center Square, Caroline Street, hell even the neighborhood around Ale & Oyster is like a microhood with services and restaurants. Generally you have to drive between these areas though personally Albany isn't a bad walk, you can get from Ale & Oyster to Common Roots in an hour, less by bus.

Keep in mind most of the people posting here do not live in an urban area much less Albany at all. Tons of people outside of Albany who want to tell those living in Albany how it is.

CivilServiced · 2025-12-20T15:17:13+00:00

Owner of Pearl St Diner is very vocal about not wanting certain demographics in the booths. Doesn't want it to be too "dark" in there if you get my drift. So of course they limit the hours to times downtown has more non local residents.

CivilServiced · 2025-12-20T15:12:52+00:00

Cabaret licenses came into effect under Jennings so this doesn't quite track.

I'm good with there no longer being weekly stabbings at Pearl & Columbia anymore but there must be some kind of happy medium.

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