County government shameful

Since the November Oneida County elections, look what’s happened: Minority Leader Philip Sacco appointed his brother as a member to the County Ethics Committee; legislators supported a $400 million budget; they passed a major pay raise to themselves; and increased pay for full-time county elected officials.

Furthermore, legislators continue pushing ahead on a major hospital project (INCLUDING A $45 MILLION PARKING GARAGE) costing state and local taxpayers hundreds and hundreds of million dollars without public referendum. They’ve still never held anyone accountable for the $500 million project at Marcy that didn’t produced the thousands of jobs promised! To go along with these same characters pushing this hospital plan is foolish and unwarranted!

Remember, these are also the same county officials who forced Verona into hosting a casino, without a public referendum and without allowing the local government’s fair share of revenues from the gambling operation!

This is the same county government that wants to sue pharmaceutical companies to recover health expenses from the opiate crisis. Does anyone who is being treated for opiate abuse or has lost a family member to this epidemic really think they are going to receive this money? Just like the tobacco money, it’s going into the county budget and will be gone in several years! When they spend that money, they will go after pharmacies, doctors and even nurses to further their spending needs. Anyone with pharmaceutical stocks or mutual funds will see their portfolios becoming more volatile and drug costs continue to sky rocket!

This has been their history and now we have a two-term legislator who benefits by keeping quiet like the vast majority. It’s neither the government we deserve nor the government we should expect!

Shame on them but more importantly, shame on us for reelecting them!

Michael Hennessy, Sherrill