“Gantt Tax” Reported On By The Democrat and Chronicle
The D&C has a 1B story on Assemblyman Gantt’s latest shakedown involving lobbyist Robert Gaddy. According to the D&C:
The close relationship between Rochester Assemblyman David Gantt and lobbyist Robert Scott Gaddy is again being questioned, this time over legislation to install red-light cameras at intersections in New York.
The criticism comes from industry officials who allege that Gantt, D-Rochester, the powerful Democratic head of the Assembly Transportation Committee, recently introduced a bill that would favor an Albany-area firm’s bid to install the cameras at intersections across the state.
Gaddy, according to state records, was hired last year for $80,000 by the company, CMA Consulting Services Inc. He served as an aide to Gantt from 1995 to 1998.
This is incredible. As we reported to you yesterday Gantt had previously blocked a bill that would allow cameras to be installed at traffic intersections across the state. Then he finally changes his mind and introduced a bill that would make it almost impossible for anyone to install these cameras unless they use the technology owned by Gaddy’s client.
Gaddy’s relationship with Gantt — who has said that “Gaddy is like a son to me” — has come under fire in recent years.
After serving as a Gantt aide, Gaddy developed a sizable lobbying business, including work in Rochester for the Rochester Rhinos soccer team, the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority and the Rochester City School District.
In 2004, Gaddy was dumped by the school district after concerns that he didn’t adequately represent the district in a spat with Gantt over school aid.
Gaddy lobbied for the Rhinos? Aren’t they the guys who received $19 million in state money for a stadium in a part of the city most people wouldn’t go to? Isn’t the State Comptroller auditing that project? Aren’t they the guys who went into default and the City had to take over the stadium — and they probably will again in the next couple of years because not enough people feel safe at that stadium (that was built there at Gantt’s insistance?
Gaddy Lobbied for the RGRTA? Aren’t they total dependant on government funding, which would have to be approved by the Assembly Transportation Committee? Doesn’t Gantt chair that committee?
Gaddy lobbied for the City School District? Aren’t they totally reliant on state aid? I think Gantt would have a lot to say about their funding to, right?
Former City School Board member Jim Bowers blows the lid off of the Gantt scam in the article.
James Bowers, a former city school board member and Gantt foe, has been critical of the relationship and said he’s not surprised the issue has been raised recently in Albany.
Gaddy and Gantt have denied there is any quid pro quo. But Bowers alleged that the hiring of Gaddy to curry favor with Gantt is “the cost of doing business. This is very similar to the experience I had when I was on the board.
“When I got there, Mr. Gaddy was the district’s lobbyist. And it was explained to me that this was our ‘Gantt tax.’ This is what we had to do to try to ensure that the assemblyman would respond to us.”
What, you had to hire Gaddy to insure Gantt would respond to you? This is a blockbuster. If you regularly read the D&C you are probably shocked that a Democrat would act in such a way.
I hope that when Jim Lawrence and his sidekick Tom Tobin write an editorial about this they keep the focus on Gantt (their hero from the Public Defender Fiasco) and don’t try to tie it in to what’s wrong with the Albany culture. Plain and simple Gantt’s actions are highly unethical and should be characterized as such.
7 Responses to ““Gantt Tax” Reported On By The Democrat and Chronicle”
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Yes Amazing that the D&C would even print this story. What I find interesting is that Assemblyman Gantt doesn’t even support his own bill. In the article Gantt says:
Why is he wasting time submitting a bill that he doesn’t support? I understand he has the right to do that, however when a legislator does this, it is fair to ask what are his ulterior motives? Could he be trying to appease a lobbyist who is helping him fund raise?
Interesting fact about the Rhino’s stadium. I remember when they were building Frontier Field, how much Gantt opposed it. Maybe because it wasn’t his lobbyist. You definitely are right about people not wanting to go to Paetec park. I stopped right after my car got broken into at a game. Attendance at the Rhino’s games have been steadily going down from day one.
Does anyone else here think that David Gantt back peddled a bit, saying he wasn’t sure if he supported his own bill, because he was freaked out that he got caught?
Just Curious
I think there is also another possibility. Gantt wants to control
the bill. He submitted it so he could direct it to a position that he wants. Thereby making sure it does as he wants. In this case move it to his lobbyist’s position.
The people that David Gantt represents should be embarrased about who they constantly elect to represent them. We’ve said numerous times that he is a lackluster legislator and a lackluster person. Its time for the people of Rochester to say goodbye, goodbye David Gantt, goodbye.
honestly, i hope david keeps handing business to his boys. sooner or later hes gonna get caught and its going to bite him in the rear and he’ll flip out like he always does and he’ll make a complete democratic symbol out of himself and will be finished in professional politics. all the shady things he does will destroy him and i cant wait till it happens.
The democrats getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar once again. Well, well, well.
Apparently, disgraced Democrat former Governor Eliot Spitzer opened the door for all democrats to just come out of the closet with their political scandals.
It’s like they think they’re totally in charge of everything right now.
This is the scary forshadowing of things to come if God forbid they ever control everything.