Linda Underwood

Schodack Democrats cleaned Miller Road this weekend.

2015-11-01T08:04:00.002-05:00

Schodack Democrats Laura Jordan, Linda Underwood and Jen Sober, were joined by Shaun Francis, candidate for NYS 43 Senate District, to clean up Miller Road on Oct. 31. After cleaning up, candidates Underwood and Sober went door-to-door.

This weekend, Schodack Democrats were out cleaning up Miller Road, which is their Adopt-a-Highway project.

As we were busy picking up trash, the GOP assembled their supporters - mostly town employees - to hand out literature.

The most striking thing about their literature is they have no record to run on. Their accomplishments are either state-mandated - like keeping tax increases below 2 percent, or things they did years ago - like earning an Eagle Scout badge, working on Freedom Tower, or building a playground almost a decade ago.

What have their done recently? What have their down for the people of Schodack? What is their record?

Why should anyone vote for them?
Even they can't answer that last one.

So, while the incumbents were going door-to-door trying to convince residents that being in the top 20 highest taxed municipalities in the capital district is "holding the line" on taxes, that mediocre services are "strong", and Project Red was handled "openly and honestly" - Schodack Democrats were actually working to make Schodack a better place to live.

Send this do-nothing board a message. Tell them it is time for a change and for real open, honest and responsive government.

That, in a nutshell, is why we are asking for your vote on Row A on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

What have they done for you lately?

2015-10-18T13:52:00.000-04:00

I recently saw Schodack Republicans' campaign literature and a story in The Advertiser about the two incumbent town board members up for re-election this year.

I thought it was strange that the GOP "borrowed" the Schodack Democrats' longtime webpage motto: "Democrats: the people who give you good government." Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I suppose. But it is more likely that they are out of campaign slogans just as they are out of ideas on how to improve the lives of Schodack residents.

I was also struck by the fact that the candidate statements were almost identical. Clearly, the candidates are not speaking for themselves, but are merely parroting what their political cronies tell them to say.

The incumbents are running on their alleged record of "lower taxes," "protecting our quality of life," and "strong services." It is hard to pick which of those claims is the most preposterous.

Schodack's taxes rank in the top 20 for highest taxes in the eight-county Capital District and we have precious little to show for them. Do the incumbents think that just saying these things will make people believe them? Do they think Schodack residents were born yesterday?

How can they claim to be the "good government team" when they routinely meet and take action on various projects in secret, which is a violation of the state Open Meetings Law?

In what country is making secret deals with connected developers -- like the current Project Red scandal -- anything like the "good government" we are supposed to have in America?

How is secretly negotiating not one but two massive warehouse projects next to a residential neighborhood in an area not zoned for warehouses "protecting our quality of life"?

How can they say they have provided "strong services" when a look around at nearby towns finds more and better services -- water and sewer, libraries, beaches, pools, parks, etc. -- at a much lower tax rate? They seem to think that hiring more patronage employees at town hall equals "strong services," when that has never been true.

Finally, the incumbents' alleged "accomplishments" were either mandated by state law -- like keeping annual property tax hikes below 2 percent -- or were things that happened more than five years ago. So they essentially admit that they have accomplished nothing in the four years since they were elected.

It is time to move Schodack forward by electing people who will represent them, not political bosses, campaign donors, and connected developers. The incumbents' approach of high taxes and mediocre services has been a failure for everyone except the relatively few who have profited from it.

It is time to end one-party, good-old-boy misrule in Schodack and vote for open, honest, responsive, and efficient government.

On Nov. 3, Vote for Linda Underwood and Tracey Rex for Schodack Town Board on Row A.

Have you had enough of secret, back-room wheeling and dealing?

2015-10-17T11:35:00.001-04:00

It is possible Schodack Town officials broke the Open Meetings Law when they torpedoed the DOT traffic calming project (Town Center Project) as well as with the secrecy surrounding Project Red.

If you have had enough of the secrecy, nepotism, and cronyism in Schodack government, vote to open the doors and let the sunshine in!

Elect Linda Underwood and Tracey Rex for Schodack Town Board.

Help us get the word out - come to our fundraiser!

2015-10-15T18:27:00.001-04:00

Join us at a fundraiser in support of Tracey Rex

2015-09-21T18:57:00.001-04:00

Primary Day - Please vote!

2015-09-10T09:04:00.000-04:00

Today is Primary Day and for the first time in years, members of the Working Families and Independence parties have the opportunity to vote for candidates who really reflect the ideals of those parties.

As anyone who knows me can tell you, I am a true progressive. Operative word: PROGRESS. That is something the Town of Schodack hasn't had in decades. Our town officials block real progress and promote projects that benefit their friends, family members, and contributors at the expense of residential neighborhoods. For them, government is about power, money, and getting jobs for their friends and family members.

As anyone who knows me can tell you, I am a true independent. I don't do things because someone tell me to do them - I do things because they are the right thing to do.

The first step to bringing true representation to Schodack is voting for me and my running mates - Tracey Rex for Town Board and Jen Sober for Town Justice - in today's primary.

And as that old adage says, the longest journey begins with a single step.

Take that journey with us.

Happy Labor Day!

2015-09-07T12:24:00.001-04:00

I know many people don't like labor unions these days. They forget how people fought and died for the working conditions we now take for granted - a 40-hour work week, paid leave, the end to child labor laws, and safer working conditions.

When labor unions strike for higher wages and get them, all pay goes up.

When labor unions strike for better, safer working conditions, the working conditions of all workers get safer.

Here in Schodack, town employees enjoy the working conditions earned through the blood, sweat, and lives of union workers.

But Schodack residents don't all have an equal chance at those good jobs.

You have to register to vote in the Republican party - but that isn't enough - you have to be related to someone who is powerful in the Republican party.

This is one of the things I will try to change when I am elected.

The best, most qualified person should get the job, regardless of party affiliation or family relationship.

It is the right thing to do.

Primary for the Working Families and Independence party lines is Thursday, Sept. 10

2015-09-01T07:52:00.002-04:00

I just spent the entire evening writing postcards to remind friends to vote in the Working Families and Independence party primaries on Thursday, Sept. 10.

My running mates and I were interviewed and endorsed by the Working Families Party, but the GOP did an "opportunity to ballot" to attempt to steal the line.

Please make sure you vote for the REAL WFP-aligned candidates - Linda Underwood, Tracey Rex and Jen Sober.

For the Independence Party - please WRITE IN the names.

Thanks!

Do you love supporting good candidates, but hate attending fundraisers? Come to my Virtual Gala!

2015-08-29T15:50:00.000-04:00

Caucus results

2015-08-28T07:03:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came to the Schodack Democratic Caucus on Thursday, Aug. 27. This year, members of the Executive Committee decided to seek candidates only for town justice and two board seats. Elected to represent the Democratic Party on Nov. 3 were: Jennifer Sober for Town Justice Linda Underwood for Town Board and Tracey Rex for Town Board Please help me and my running mates by volunteering your time and making a donation. Just contact me and I will put you in touch with the others.

Democratic Caucus - Thursday, August 27, 6:30 PM at the Peter Andrews VFW, 105 Scott Ave. Castleton, NY 12033

2015-08-20T21:09:00.001-04:00

NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 6, SECTION 108 OF THE NEW YORK STATE ELECTION LAW THAT A DEMOCRATIC PARTY CAUCUS WILL BE HELD AT THE PETER J. ANDREWS VFW POST 7337, LOCATED AT 105 SCOTT AVENUE, CASTLETON, NEW YORK 12033 IN THE TOWN OF SCHODACK, AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COUNTY OF RENSSELAER, STATE OF NEW YORK ON THE 27TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2015. THIS CAUCUS IS CALLED FOR THE PURPOSE OF NOMINATING CANDIDATES TO FILL EXISTING VACANCIES FOR THE TOWN ELECTIONS TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 3, 2015. OFFICES TO BE VOTED ON: TOWN SUPERVISOR TOWN CLERK TOWN JUSTICE TOWN COUNCIL (2 SEATS) RECEIVER OF TAXES

Martin Reid - just the tip of the GOP corruption iceberg

2015-08-15T09:13:00.000-04:00

BAD DAY FOR MARTY - Worse day for Joel. While much of the recent news has focused on the forty-one count indictment of GOP County Legislator Martin Reid, we must not lose sight of our esteemed DA's ethical issues relative to his Republican colleagues.

Here is a link to a story at Troy Politics Blog. It is a great summary and background on the Martin Reid scandal.

A Tale of Two FOIL Requests

2015-08-12T23:03:00.000-04:00

Many Schodack residents have been complaining lately that the town board kept "Project Red" - a plan for another big warehouse near a residential neighborhood - a secret among themselves and the developer. Schodack residents seem to be just waking up to the fact that two decades of one-party rule has resulted in secrecy, lack of accountability, high taxes, and mediocre services. Residents didn't find out about the Dollar Tree warehouse project until after last town election, though the all-Republican town board surely knew all about it before three of them faced the voters that year. And the plan for 9&20 traffic calming, supported by most residents, seemed to just disappear without a peep. Whatever happened to that state-funded project to improve Schodack anyway? I was so puzzled that I did a Freedom of Information request at both Schodack Town Hall and the state Department of Transportation to find out. The results were stunning, trust me. But what was more interesting was how long, involved, and expensive it was to get these documents from Schodack, compared to the larger, and one would think less responsive and more bureaucratic, State of New York. Doing a FOIL request at Schodack cost me several hours off from work, a week’s wait, and more than $30 in copying costs. The same request to the state DOT involved a few emails and resulted in emails with PDF attachments of the requested documents. No time off, no copying costs. If the State of New York can fully automate the FOIL process for far more people than in our small town, isn't it well past the time for Schodack to enter the 21st Century and do the same? But the one-party, Republican rulers of Schodack don't want residents to know anything more than their “happy talk” news releases, so they make it time-consuming and expensive for residents who want to know what's really going on. And what is going on is one-party, Republican rule has brought Schodack a record of high taxes and mediocre services.

Join me in my campaign to bring honest, equitable, and accountable representation to Schodack

2015-07-29T21:50:00.002-04:00

One party rule has not worked for the residents of Schodack. Decisions are made behind closed doors and benefit just a few, politically connected families. If you are ready for a change in the status quo that has brought residents higher taxes, lower home values, and a bloated budget, join my campaign! Linda Underwood Candidate for Schodack Town Board