Frank Castiglia Jr.: Fulton Is So Lucky

To the Editor,

A recent letter to the editor made claims that the City of Fulton was so lucky that Housing Visions of Syracuse was willing to help the city with their DRI project.

Well let’s look at how lucky the city has been when we were chosen as focal points of any help, telling us we were so lucky.

First one that comes to mind was the “Urban Renewal” of the late 60’s early 70’s, you know the one that bulldozed our thriving business district down. It took away over 100 retail stores and turned it into what we have today a mere 50yrs later.

We have maybe 3 retail stores where over 100 use to be. Boy we were so “Lucky Urban Renewal” chose us.

Second up was the development of the “Taylor Farm” by Miller Brewing. It turned an empty farm field into a Brewing facility. It was great for 20yrs with 20yrs of tax credits, 20yrs of discount sewage rates. Then it was “So long”, “See ya later”. It is now a shell of what it was. Gone are the hundreds of jobs, gone are the sales tax revenue it generated. We were so lucky they chose our front yard to build in. So lucky!

Third was the purchase of the Nestle facility by Operation Oswego County (IDA) with the promise of a buyer from S. Africa, they were going to produce Chocolate again promising the return of hundreds of Jobs lost by the sudden departure by Nestle. They told us we were “So Lucky” they failed to tell us that it was a “Money Laundering Scheme”. We were “So Lucky”

Last but not least the Demo of the Nestle bldgs.. to make it shovel ready for development. We were so “Lucky” that a contractor was going to do the Demo for the cost of keeping the scrap metal. It wasn’t going to cost the “City of Fulton” anything. In this shovel ready work was the purchase of bricks that were going to be used by Aldi’s for it’s foundation. It costs the “Lucky” City taxpayer some where around $200,000 to buy back the bricks that we had given the demo Contractor. Were so lucky the crushed bricks couldn’t and wouldn’t be used by Aldi’s for their foundation. It wasn’t going to cost the “Lucky” City of Fulton taxpayers a dime. We were “So Lucky”

The City of Fulton’s Administration has had “Short Sighted Vision” for many years. It’s has been “We need this now” Attitude.

The City of Fulton needs help but we are not “DESPERATE”. The City of Fulton needs “DEVELOPMENT” “YES” but not something that will bring a drain on are already over burden Public Safety departments along with our Codes Department. We need development that is going to bring in “Tax dollars” and “Jobs”.

Please look at the Author of the letter that stated, “City of Fulton is so lucky”. Is he a stake holder.

Residents of the City of Fulton, rise up and let your voices be heard. Don’t let another outsider tell us how much we need something, like a MIXED-USE APARTMENT COMPLEX at the entrance of our fine City of Fulton. Promising us one thing and changing it to another. Remember it was going to be a Senior housing complex. Well not any longer. It will be an AMI housing complex.

Sign the petition opposing the rezoning of Bldg. 30 stopping the Complex.

We want “Redevelopment” but what we want, not what you “Want”.

-Frank Castiglia Jr. Taxpayer and Resident of the City of Fulton

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