text:
Date published: October 26, 2011
Language: English
Journal code: SYNT
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. To vote, you must be registered with the Onondaga County Board of Elections. For more information on polling places, call the Board of Elections at 435-3312 or the League of Women Voters at 422-9797. Note: Addresses without a city listed are in Syracuse.
State Supreme Court Justice
What do you bring to the bench that sets you apart from other judicial candidates?
Charles Merrell
Democratic, Conservative 7638 Coloins St., Lowville 13367 email@example.com; www.electmerrell.com Profession: Lewis County Judge and Surrogate, Family Court Judge, Acting Supreme Court Justice Education: JD, Syracuse University College of Law; BA, St. Lawrence University
I am a full-time judge serving as Lewis County judge and surrogate and Family Court judge for eight years and as acting Supreme Court justice for the last four years. I am also the only candidate highly qualified by the Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission, a nonpartisan, blue ribbon panel of judges and experienced attorneys. I am the only candidate having heard and decided cases in each county in the fifth Judicial District.
Patrick MacRae
Democratic, Conservative 5767 Route 31, Verona 13478 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.patrickmacrae.us Profession: Attorney Education: JD, SUNY Buffalo; BA, SUNY Buffalo
I have an unmatched depth of specialized Supreme Court trial and litigation experience spanning nearly 32 years, a breadth of experience that includes having represented the state Commission on Judicial Conduct in a seminal matter supporting its authority to oversee the ethical conduct of the judiciary, which was considered by the New York Law Journal to be one of the most important cases in New York in 2003, and the appropriate temperament required for all judges.
David Magnarelli
Democratic, Working Families, Veteran's Party 112 Limestone Lane, Syracuse 13219 firstname.lastname@example.com Profession: Attorney Education: JD, Syracuse University College of Law; BA, Le Moyne College
More than 33 years of legal experience, with 30 years in the private sector as a practicing attorney specializing in civil law and 3½ years as judicial law clerk to state Supreme Court Justice Richard Aronson. Represented clients before practically all levels of state courts and the federal District Court - Northern District of New York. I have always treated those I have dealt with respect and dignity. I have the ability to assist parties in finding the middle ground to resolve disputes and avoid needless litigation.
Thomas Buckle
Democratic Veterans, Working Families 107 Hampshire Road, Syracuse 13203 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.tombuckel.com Profession: Partner, Hancock & Estabrook; Onondaga County Legislator Education: JD, University of Virginia School of Law; graduate work, Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; BA, Canisius College
Most diverse public, legal and adjudication experiences. Deepest understanding of communities and hardships faced by families, farms, businesses. Demonstrated commitment to public good over powerful interests. Only candidate who pledged not to hear any case involving any donor for at least two years. Equal justice, no exceptions, Impartial, fair, hardest working, innovative, compassionate. One of five of the nine candidates determined qualified or highly qualified through rigorous evaluation performed by Independent State Judicial Election Commission.
Erin Gall
Republican, Independence P.O. Box 94, New Hartford 13413 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.gallforjustice.com Profession: Attorney and principal court attorney to the Honorable Barry Donalty, acting Supreme Court Justice Education: JD, SUNY Buffalo; BA, Boston College
Our courts have never faced greater scrutiny or more demanding caseloads. I will bring a new model of judicial leadership to the bench. In addition to 13 years of experience as chief adviser to Judge Donalty, I have the energy and work ethic necessary to serve those whose lives literally depend on the state Supreme Court. I have seen the judiciary from all vantage points: private practice attorney, counsel to a superior court judge, and as victim of a violent crime. I know how judges think and understand how victims feel.
Prescott Klosner
Republican, Independence 115 Ray St., Ilion 13357 email@example.com; www.klosnerforjudge.com Profession: First Assistant District Attorney, Herkimer County Education: JD, Syracuse University College of Law; BA, Siena College
As a husband, father and lifelong upstate resident, I will bring to the bench trial experience, local knowledge and common sense to render reasoned decisions that provide positive solutions. As Herkimer County's chief assistant district attorney, I have served the people tirelessly, taking child molesters and violent felons off the streets. I've spent virtually all of my professional life working in the courtroom. I have earned the reputation by my peers as a tough but fair prosecutor and a staunch defender of victims' rights.
James McClusky
Republican 18388 Alpine Ridge Road, Watertown firstname.lastname@example.com; www.judgemcclusky.com Additional Party Endorsements: Conservative, Independence Profession: Attorney Education: JD, SUNY Buffalo; BA, Hartwick College
I am a trial attorney, having conducted 300 trials including approximately 30 jury trials. I know the law and I know the courtroom. In addition, I have been a judge for the last nine years handling thousands of cases from traffic infractions to felonies and $50 small claims matters, to business disputes involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. I understand these matters are important to the litigants and I treat each case that way.
Michael Young
Did not respond
John Stone
Republican, Conservative Veterans 4964 Adah Drive, Manlius 13104 email@example.com; johnstone4 supremecourt.com Profession: Attorney; Law Clerk to state Supreme Court Justice James Murphy Education: JD, Syracuse University College of Law; BA, St. Michael's College
More than 100 lawyers have become honorary co-chairs of my campaign. I have 17 years experience as a civil trial lawyer in both private practice and as a senior assistant corporate counsel for the city of Syracuse. For the past seven years I have been the principal law clerk to state Supreme Court Justice James Murphy. I have been found qualified by the Onondaga County Bar Association and the independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission. I have also received the highest rating of "qualified and commended" given by the Central New York Women's Bar Association.
County Exececutive
Joanie Mahoney
Republican, Independence P.O. Box 291, DeWitt 13214 email@example.com; www.joaniemahoney.com Profession: County Executive; Attorney Education: JD, Syracuse University College of Law; BS, SU
By far the most effective thing New York state government could do to encourage job creation is reform the programs it requires local governments to pay for and I applaud the governor for beginning that process. The costs for those state programs are passed on as property tax bills and detrimentally affect any economic development efforts.
During the governor's campaign, he promised to move from state control of economic development monies to local control. The Regional Economic Development Councils are an example of that shift. We as a region can choose our best economic development ideas ourselves and move forward.
District Attorney
William Fitzpatrick
Republican,Conservative and Independence Maple Grove Drive, Tully 13059 Profession: Attorney Education: JD, Syracuse University College of Law; BA, SU
I am proud of many accomplishments in my 20 years as district attorney. Among the most notable is my reopening and investigation into the deaths of five infants between 1965 and 1971. That investigation resulted in the prosecution of their mother Waneta Hoyt in 1995 for murdering her five babies and literally changed the way we look at infant deaths in this country.
I am also proud of helping to establish a state-of-the-art forensic crime lab in this county. I am proud of our efforts to speak for child victims, by creating one of the first Special Victim's Bureau in the state, a police Abused Persons Unit and recently, a Child Advocacy Center. Most recently, I was responsible for establishing and currently chair the state District Attorneys Association Committee on Fair and Ethical Administration of Justice, which focuses on developing best practices and ethics to prevent wrongful convictions.
County Comptroller
Robert Antonacci
Did not respond.
O nondadaga County LeLegislator
The 2 percent tax cap signed into law this year creates an imbalance between a limit on property taxes and rising costs for state-mandated programs. As a county legislator, what measures would you propose to compensate for the inability to raise taxes more than 2 percent?
1st District
Brian F. May
Republican, Conservative, Independence 1395 River Bend Drive, Baldwinsville 13027 email@example.com; www.citizens4may.com Profession: Business Consultant Education: BS, SUNY Empire State College
The 2 percent tax cap is a perfect example of counterproductive over-regulation by government. Capping the levy does not address the core problem of overall government spending. Fear of downstream penalties invoked by increasing mandates, or by the cap itself, is actually prohibiting well-run municipalities from reducing overall spending. As county legislator, I will fight for mandate relief and meaningful reform of the tax cap while striving to improve government efficiency at every opportunity.
2nd District
John Dougherty
Republican, Conservative, Independence, Veterans 4350 Loveland Drive, Liverpool 13090 email@example.com; www.johndougherty.org Profession: Engineer Education: MBA, Syracuse University; MS, SU; BS, SUNY Buffalo
The county should work closer with New York state to get them to help us with the costs of mandated programs. Without this, anything we can do will matter very little. Beyond that, we should be looking beyond property taxes to increase revenue. We should encourage more public/private partnerships that encourage growth in blighted neighborhoods and revitalization of abandoned or underused industrial sites. We should be doing absolutely everything we can to encourage tourism and increased commerce from outside the area. We have had recent successes in this area and we should leverage that into the future.
3rd District
William Meyer
Republican 7021 VanAntwerp Drive, Cicero 13039 legislatorbill.meyer@ yahoo.com; www.electbill.meyer.com Profession: Insurance agent Education: BA, Kansas State Teachers College
We must accept the fact that the fiscal crisis in Albany is for real. Therefore, we must take the following steps.
1. Halt all but essential purchases until the state budget is passed.
2. Stop all new hiring except for essential areas.
3. Start a complete budget review process now to evaluate and rank all services and costs. We can no longer do a budget on an annual basis. It must be an ongoing process.
Joan Zinsmeyer Kesel
Democratic, Working Families, Independent 8406 Brewerton Road, Cicero 13031 email@example.com Profession: Retired Education: North Syracuse Central Schools
The 2 percent cap helps to control property taxes but not without sacrifice. Every department needs to be examined using consolidation where redundancy with state, town, village or city services exists. Working together to establish a joint health insurance consortium with towns and villages could negotiate better premiums and enhance coverage. Prepare to negotiate salaries and benefits that compensate current employees and attract new employees. Convince Albany that a new pension tier will lower obligations in the public employees' retirement system
4th District
Judy Tassone
Republican 4855 Thornwood Drive, Liverpool 13088 firstname.lastname@example.com Profession: Small business owner Education: Columbia College
As a current county legislator I realize that measures must be addressed regarding the imbalance between a limit on property taxes and the rising cost for state mandates. I recently sponsored a resolution in support of permanently ending new and existing unfunded state mandates on local governments, and ending state budget actions that simply shift costs from the state to local taxpayers. We must also work to consolidate services and costs without depriving our taxpayers of the necessary services they require.
David Stott
Democratic 4854 Driftwood Dive, Liverpool 13090 email@example.com; www.voteforDaveStott.com Profession: Independent manufacturing representative Education: Syracuse University; SUNY Oswego; Herkimer County Community College
Throughout the 4th District, 2011 property taxes increased significantly: 73 percent. In Salina, county taxes and add the bad decision to pass a tax-sharing agreement that led to a 22 percent increase in the village of Liverpool and a 36 percent increase in the Lakeland area. I never voted for a budget with a county property tax increase and will use my experience to make better decisions because we can't afford any more property tax increases.
5th District
Kathleen Rapp
Republican, Independence/Conservative 437 Jewell Drive, Liverpool 13088 email@example.com; www.kathyrapp.com Profession: Director, ACLS (Alberta Crowe Letter Service) Education: BS, SUNY Oneonta
Mandate relief is critical if we have any hope of continuing county services while containing property tax growth. Without that relief, the 2 percent cap will reduce county government to only a delivery service for social service programs. To that end, I introduced two resolutions along with our budget. The first asked directly for no unfunded mandates and the second urged passage of two bills already on file in the state Senate and in the Assembly. Both call for the state to assume the cost of Medicaid in ever-increasing percentages over the next 10 years. Last year the county absorbed $20 million in new unfunded mandate costs. This year we absorbed another $17 million. At the same time, we reduced the property tax levy by $35 million. In other words, the sales tax the county "kept" was directly turned over to the state to pay for ever-rising mandated costs. This is obviously unsustainable. If we are required to raise taxes by no more than 2 percent yet continue to receive increases that amount to 12 percent of our levy, our only recourse will be to cut local services.
6th District
Toby Shelley
Democratic, Working Families, Veterans 3798 Oak Hill Road, Marietta 13110 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.tobyshelley.com Profession: Sheriff's deputy
Having read the 2011 county budget, 66 percent is mandated programs, the next largest expenditure is public safety at 32 percent. With a strong background in public safety, I would look at ways we could govern smarter. We can better manage the largest unmandated part of the county budget by taking a look at unjustified take-home cars in the county which will save more than $1 million. Better scheduling of personnel could save another $1 million in overtime costs.
Mike Plochocki
Republican, Independence 4753 Howlett Hill Road, Marcellus 13108 email@example.com; www.mikeplochocki.com Profession: Attorney Education: BA, Cornell University; JD, SUNY Buffalo College of Law
I worked in Gov. Pataki's office with the specific task of advising the governor's staff on cutting wasteful state regulations and state mandates. From a position of experience, I want to lead the County Legislature's effort in lobbying the state to cut back its mandates to the counties. This has to be done because, quite frankly, this conundrum cannot be solved without the state eliminating, reducing, or at least placing a similar cap on the cost of some or all state-mandated programs.
7th District
Danny J. Liedka
Republican 211 McCool Ave., East Syracuse 13057 email@example.com; www.liedka.com Profession: Business development manager, New York state, Marriott Corporation; sports commentator, Time Warner Cable Sports Education: East Syracuse-Minoa High School
Right out of the gate, public-private partnerships need to be created. If there are operations that can be handled by private sector companies, and take the burden off taxpayers, I'm all for it. This is a complex question, with no short-answer solution. The biggest problem lies in Albany, with the Medicaid program. I fully support legislation, currently pending in the state Senate and Assembly, that would freeze county Medicaid expenditures, and gradually return all Medicaid costs to the state over an eight-year period.
Lorene Dadey
Democratic ,Working Families 112 W. Yates St., East Syracuse 13057 firstname.lastname@example.com Profession: Small business owner Education: Central City Business Institute
The sharing of government services and duplication of services. Are our taxpayers paying for the same service from more than one government agency? Can we effectively consolidate services, keeping the same level of service for our community while saving money? Where can we get the most for our money? Look into purchasing practices of the county to ensure we are using collective buying power, state contract prices, centralize purchasing would benefit other municipalities.
8th District
Lawrence Corso
Republican, Veterans 103 Hunter Ave., Syracuse 13204 email@example.com Profession: Education: High school graduate
I would need more information to answer this question. Be it known that I would rely on help and guidance from our county executive and other legislators, but most importantly from the voters in the district for additional help and guidance.
Christopher Ryan
Democratic, Conservative 205 Maple Road, Syracuse 13219 firstname.lastname@example.com Profession: Executive Vice President CWA Local 1123, Verizon Communications Education: BS, Buffalo State; AAS, Onondaga Community College
Onondaga County has a $1.2 billion operating budget. State mandates comprise a good portion of that overall budget. I will work to initiate conversations between village, town and city lawmakers to collectively voice our concerns to state officials and work on ways to reduce costs. I will also work to reduce county operating costs. For example, we should initiate discussions with the Sheriff's Department regarding video arraignment. We need to examine countywide ways to reduce soaring health care costs, as well as doing our very best to try and find ways to increase revenues aside from raising taxes.
9th District
Bob Andrews
Republican, Independence 260 S. Edwards Ave., Syracuse 13206 email@example.com; www.bobandrews2011.com Profession: Manager of Business Development, Madison Cortland ARC Education: MBA, Northeastern University; BA, Colgate University
We are at the point in the county budget where there is very little to cut. We have done a lot of cutting in the last several years and it has allowed the county to idle in neutral and survive. However, going forward we need to be much more proactive. First, we need to start investing in our community to create more job and business opportunities in order to grow our tax base. We must increase our revenues without raising taxes. The only way to do that is to increase population, business activity and the overall economy. Onondaga County can also be at the forefront of developing countywide vocational education hubs for high school students. We need to provide a better educational opportunity for those children that are not going to college and at the same time providing a skilled workforce for our manufacturing and business community.
Second, the county must be united in the effort to reform and reduce state mandates. The county executive cannot be the only voice coming from the county on this issue. We need to take advantage of the relationship the county executive has developed with Albany and the governor to insist upon immediate mandate reform. As a county legislator, I will add my voice and my efforts to reducing the burden of state-mandated programs.
Mark Stanczyk
Democratic 228 Brattle Road, Syracuse 13203 firstname.lastname@example.com Profession: Financial Adviser Education: Master's of Public Administration, Syracuse University; BA, University of Notre Dame
With the support of cost-cutting and sales tax revenues, the County Legislature has been reducing the property tax levies for 2011 and 2012. City residents saw their property taxes reduced 17 percent for this year and will be reduced and additional 5 percent for 2012. I hope to be a strong factor in continuing this trend going forward.
10th District
Gwyn Mannion
Democratic 7665 Hunt Lane, Fayetteville 13066 email@example.com; sites.google.com/ gwynmannionforcountyleg Profession: Engineer Education: BS, Purdue University Did not respond.
Kevin Holmquist
Republican, Conservative, Independence, Taxpayers First 123 Summerhaven Drive S., East Syracuse 13057 email@example.com; www.kevinholmquist.com Profession: Licensed Relationship Manager, Key Bank & Key Investments Education: BS, Syracuse University, Political Science; AAS, Onondaga Community College
We need mandate relief from New York state government. The tax cap is meaningless without mandate relief. We need to be able to handle our own affairs at the local level of government. We have been reducing spending and getting the county out of areas that we never should have been in. We need to continue this aggressively.
11th District
Buffy Quinn
Democratic 4782 Burrstone Road, Syracuse 13215 email@example.com; www.buffyquinn.com Profession: Associate Director of Sustainability, Byrne Dairy Education: MA, University of Denver; BS, University of Southern Mississippi
The 2 percent tax cap shortchanges students, schools and working families while it shifts more of the burden of providing high-quality education to local communities. In Onondaga County, school districts have already cut budgets, and teachers have made sacrifices with increased class size, pay freezes, and a lengthened class day. As a member of the County Legislature, I will support programs like Say Yes to Education that provide grant money to schools who have committed to innovative educational programs.
Patrick Kilmartin
Republican , Conservative, Independence, Veterans 4482 Renee Meadows Drive, Syracuse 13202 email@example.com; www.patkilmartin.com Profession: Attorney, small business owner Education: JD, New England School of Law; BA, University of Rochester
Both officials need to recognize and respect the two offices and understand the need for checks and balances. Improving communication would be the key to providing better service to the community. If both officeholders understand, recognize and acknowledge that the voters of the city will benefit from oversight, checks, balances and transparent review, then both offices can more effectively carry out their duties. The focus should not be directly at friction between the individuals, but how both offices can provide better service to their prospective bosses, the voters of the city.
12th District
David H. Knapp
Republican, Conservative, Independence P.O. Box 467, LaFayette 13084 firstname.lastname@example.com Profession: Clinical Laboratory Sales Education: BS, United States Military Academy at West Point
The 2 percent tax cap instituted by New York state has created a very difficult situation for local governments because the state Legislature and the governor only passed half of what they said they would. They never went back and addressed the litany of unfunded mandates that they have been burdening local governments with for years. In LaFayette, for example, for 2012, the town's contribution to the state retirement system increased so dramatically that by itself it was more that the 2 percent tax cap allowed. We were forced to find cuts in other areas to make up for that increase. At the county level we must continue to pressure our state-elected officials to finish the job and cut unfunded mandates. We must also take a top-to-bottom look at the county government to look for duplications of service and make some potentially difficult decisions concerning cutting programs that in these tough times are considered nice to have versus need to have.
Philip Benedict
Democratic, Working Families, Veterans 3161 Route 91, Jamesville 13078 email@example.com; www.philforcountylegislature.com Profession: Maintenance supervisor, Syracuse University; Peace officer, town of Pompey Education: BA, Syracuse University
With any new program or law, the first year is most critical. One almost has to take a wait-and-see position. However, we are not without options. There is a tax cap override process (if needed) to raise taxes, I would caution in doing such until we see what effect the 2 percent cap will have on each area.
Other options include tapping into grants and subtitles, creative management of lighting/water districts, putting off major purchases, lower pensions costs, etc. Plus there is always the option of tapping the reserves to help compensate.
The bottom line: Any decision made we all will have to deal with the political realities someone is not going to be happy about it. We cannot let that influence us in our decision-making for the public good. I feel the key to success has to be open dialogue and communicating, being as transparent in the decision-making
13th District
Derek T. Shepard Jr.
Republican, Independence 127 Northrup Blvd., Syracuse 13209 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.derekshepard.com Profession: Assisted living administration Education: JD, Syracuse University College of Law; BS, SU
Mandates must be addressed immediately. Unfortunately, this is not within the direct power of county government. Discretionary costs can be reduced, but over time there would be nothing left to cut. It would be best to bring specific mandated costs to the voters' attention so they can bring pressure to bear on state representatives to either reduce mandates, provide supporting state funding, or move administration of mandated programs such as Medicaid back to the state.
James Scaramuzzino
Democratic, Working Families 4 Comstock Road, Baldwinsville 13027 email@example.com; www.scarmo.com Profession: Chef Education: AAS, Mohawk Valley Community College
Regarding the 2 percent cap, legislators need to take a good look at the county budget and start going line by line and eliminate the excess spending in the budget. Let's take a look at take-home vehicles and the cost to taxpayers. Are all those vehicles a necessity? Middle-class America has been carrying the burden and sacrificing so politicians can have these perks. Let's get back to basics because that's all taxpayers can afford. For too long taxpayers were an open-ended credit card that government just kept on going to.
Bob Warner
Republican, Conservative 1478 Gunbarrel Road, Baldwinsville 13027 Profession: Retired Education: State Police Academy
Being the Republican Conservative county legislator for the past 20 years, we have somewhat addressed that issue in the 2012 budget. We have reduced the number of county employees and made cuts in other departments. We have left enough in the fund balance account if need be to offset any necessary increases above the 2 percent next year.
14th District
Casey Jordan
Republican, Conservative, Independence, Veterans 8133 Rizzo Drive, Clay 13041 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.voteforcaseyjordan.com Profession: Attorney Education: JD, Hofstra University College of Law; BA, Vassar College
Implementation of mandate reform so as to minimize the impact of unfunded mandates on the county budget. This would include, but not be limited to, urging Albany to assume full responsibility for the payment of all state-mandated costs, such as Medicaid, food stamps, aid for dependent children and the other safety net programs that the county is mandated to provide to its citizens. This would also include the exclusion of mandated costs from the calculation of the dollar amount of the 2 percent tax cap.
15th District
Mark English
Democratic, Working Families, Veterans 117 Breakspear Road, Syracuse 13219 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.citizens4markenglish.com Profession: Attorney Education: JD
The austerity now required is already affecting vital services and important cultural assets. For the time being any county legislator will have to carefully scrutinize any spending and hold the line on any tax increase. However, in the long run only an increase in our tax base by a concerted job creation program will resolve the problem. That too should be a great concern for all elected officials.
Ryan McMahon
Did not respond
16th District
Monica Williams
Democratic, Working Family 125 Hudson St., Syracuse 13204 I THINK email@example.com Profession: Staffing Coordinator, Rosewood Heights Health Center Education: High school graduate
The 2 percent tax cap is good for homeowners and landowners who continue to be taxed at alarming rates. We need to address the unfunded mandated services that the state puts on counties. As a county legislator, I will continue to look for ways to collaborate with other municipalities for the services that we deliver.
17th District
Linda Ervin
Democratic, Working Families, Veterans 6331 Danbury Drive, Jamesville 13078 email@example.com Profession: Retired Education: BA, Syracuse University
Continuing advocating for relief in Medicaid and unfunded mandates. Continue consolidation efforts with the city, town and village governments to achieve efficiency in spending, like the purchasing department and the joint location of county and city economic development offices. Continue to grow tourism and other businesses to locate in the county to generate revenue. Continue to ask all departments to look critically at spending, to be creative with staffing, to seek grants to offset expense where ever possible.
C ommissioner of EdEducation
With a new system in place to evaluate public school teachers, the Committee on Open Government has stated that the results of the teacher ratings should be made public. Do you agree or disagree and why?
Delilah Fiumara
Republican 107 Summit Ave., Syracuse 13207 firstname.lastname@example.com Profession: Retired Education: MS, Education
We will have to comply with whatever legislation or policy is put into place. With that said, I do not agree that this action will have the desired effect of raising student achievement levels. These ratings should be used by districts as information to improve staff evaluation systems and tools. Re-evaluating and/or reforming tenure laws might raise the quality of teachers in the classroom.
Michelle Mignano
Democratic 1517 Westmoreland Ave., Syracuse 13210 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.commoncentsforschools.com Profession: Public health compliance officer Education: MPA, Syracuse University; BA, Columbia University
Disagree. There is a difference between supporting consistent, meaningful and measurable performance indicators to help inform and improve the professional development of teachers (and ultimately student outcomes) and recommending that a yet-to-be articulated, let alone perfected, system of evaluation be immediately released to the public. Parents have a right to know about teacher performance, and schools should make teacher evaluations available to key stakeholders, but in context and with the goal of constructive dialogue.
Stephen Swift
Democratic 121 Crawford Ave., Syracuse 13210 email@example.com; www.steveswift.net Profession: Business owner Education: BS, SUNY Buffalo
I have serious concerns about public release of teacher evaluations in their current form. The evaluation process is fundamentally flawed and needs to be completely revamped. There needs to be a collaborative effort to construct a viable evaluation tool. Care needs to be taken to assure the data used to judge teachers, which among other things needs to be considered the demographics of the various school districts, is fair and equitable. In the present form this tainted information will only further isolate our teachers and prevent the collaborative effort within our communities so needed to solve our problems.
Edward J. McLaughlin
Republican 460 N. Franklin St., Syracuse 13204 email@example.com. Profession: Retired; currently a part-time bus driver, Westhill Central School District Education: High school graduate
The results of the public school teachers' evaluations is public information. With some effort anyone can get it if they want it. The issue is whether it should be broadcast publicly in the media. A concern that I have is that just evaluations without any background as to who the evaluators are and how the evaluation process worked procedurally leaves statistics devoid of any meaning.
Consider the evaluation having pilot status, at least for the first year. Look at the negatives and positives. Improve the evaluation process and then make a decision if making the evaluation public is warranted. Then there is the cost factor/no state or federal funds, grants, etc. In essence this will become another bloated subdivision in the state Education Department.
Max Ruckdeschel
Democratic, Working Families 1615 Euclid Ave, Syracuse 13224 email@example.com; www.maxforourschools.org Profession: Geographer Education: MA, George Washington University; BS, University of Idaho
A transparent government, and by extension school district, should always be our goal. That being said, this is a new and unproven evaluation system and until we are sure that these scores accurately reflect a teacher's performance then releasing them may be counterproductive. I would support releasing the scores once we are sure that they are truly representative of teacher performance or we are mandated to by the state.
William H. Bullen
Democratic 239 Scottholm Terrace, Syracuse 13224 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.billbullen.com Profession: Sales and marketing executive Education: BS, Krannert School of Management, Purdue University
Publishing limited assessments for broad purposes such as teacher ratings is irresponsible. The state Education Department assessment is not an accurate measure of teacher performance. Publishing the new composite assessments before we can ensure equity and prior to a thorough peer review (i.e. multiple years of data) is a flawed process and may undermine our efforts to create a positive and collaborative culture that prepares our students for the future.
Sarah Gilbert
Did not respond.
C ity Court Judge
What would (or do) you bring to the bench that sets you apart from other City Court judicial candidates?
Rory A. McMahon
Democratic, Republican and Working Families 117 Richard Road, Syracuse 13215 email@example.com Profession: City Court Judge Education: JD, Syracuse University College of Law; BA, SUNY Plattsburgh
Perspective and experience. I am the only candidate who has been a judge, a prosecutor and a defense attorney. As a result, I recognize the importance of balancing justice with fairness and compassion. As a lifelong resident of the city of Syracuse, I also understand the uniqueness of this community. As the father of three young children, I want to do whatever I can to ensure that Syracuse remains a wonderful place to live.
Karen M. Uplinger
Democratic, Working Families, Independence, Veterans P.O. Box 369, East Syracuse 13057 email@example.com Profession: Judge. Education: JD, College of William and Mary, Marshall Wythe School of Law; BA, University of Kansas
Experience. I am the only candidate who has served 10 years on the bench. I practiced law in Syracuse for 25 years, criminal and civil, the same cases that come before the court each day. Further, as a common councilor for eight years, I dealt with the Syracuse Housing Code and helped to write our local laws.
Romana Lavalas
Republican, Conservative and Veterans 118 Remington Ave. Apt. K, Syracuse 13210 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.lavalasforcitycourtjudge.com Profession: Onondaga County Assistant District Attorney Education: JD, Syracuse University College of Law; BA, SUNY Albany
I believe my 12 years of prosecuting thousands of cases involving diverse groups of people, coupled with my personal background as a black and Hispanic female, affords me a unique perspective that would aid me in the thoughtful adjudication of the matters that would come before me as a City Court judge. As a prosecutor, I have been thoughtful, deliberate, firm but fair. I will continue to exhibit these qualities as judge. I have firsthand experience with making decisions that affect people's lives in a tangible and significant way. I aspire to have an even greater impact as a Syracuse City Court judge.
City Auditor
In recent years there has been friction between the mayor and city auditor. What would you do to improve this relationship?
Martin D. Masterpole
Democratic, Working Families 344 Coleridge Ave., Syracuse 13204 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.masterpoleforauditor.com Profession: Partner, Masterpole-Murphy Agency Education: BS, SUNY Oswego; AAS, Onondaga Community College
I have already been accused of being too close to the mayor and therefore this question might be moot. However, having served on the Common Council with Mayor Stephanie Miner, we already have had numerous occasions where we have disagreed on various issues yet remained respectful of each other's opinions and advanced good government.
As city auditor, I will remain an independent entity providing a check-and-balance on the City Council, School Board and mayor. When I believe that the taxpayers of the city of Syracuse are at risk, I will use the powers given to me by the Charter of the City of Syracuse to communicate to the citizenry that said "friction" is coming at a cost to the taxpayers.
Steve Kimatian
Republican, Independence, Conservative, Veterans 318 Sedgwick Drive, Syracuse 13203 email@example.com; www.steveforsyracuse.com Profession: Lawyer and Media Consultant Education: BA, Princeton University; JD, Cornell University Law School
To improve the auditor/mayor relationship, I would initiate an open dialogue on all issues of importance to the city with the mayor. Before issues became matters of public discord, I would seek to proactively resolve them with the mayor.
Syracacuse Common Council
Controversy over Mayor Stephanie Miner's decision to close the Ida Benderson Center has drawn concern from both senior citizens and Common Councilors. What do you think is the solution to provide these services for needy citizens in the city?
Kathleen Joy
Democratic, Working Families, Veterans 2225 James St., Syracuse 13206 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.kathleenjoy.org Profession: Attorney Education: JD, Capital University Law School; BS, Allegheny College
This center should not have closed. I proposed an alternative: renegotiate the rent and apply the savings toward senior programs. We called for a needs assessment. Seniors simply wanted a social center to gather with friends. They never demanded additional services. I recognize that difficult fiscal decisions must be made, but services must match the need. Society is judged by how we treat our most vulnerable. I will fight to keep other senior centers open.
Helen Hudson
Democratic, Working Family Party 241 Hall Ave, Syracuse 13205 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.helenforsyracuse.com Profession: Labor liaison, United Way of Central New York Education: Industrial Labor Relations Certificate, Cornell University
It is difficult to make an informed opinion without knowing all the specific details and inside information around the closing of the Ida Benderson Center. I do know how vital services are to our community because of my years working with populations in need and I believe accessibility is key. Collaboration between the Common Council, Office of Aging and nonprofits would offer the best solution to guarantee needy citizens have access to these services
Joseph Rotondo
Republican, Independence, Conservative, Veterans 165 Chatham Road, Syracuse 13203 email@example.com Profession: Business owner, JD Rotondo Accounting Services Education: BA, Syracuse University
The mayor and the Common Council should work together to create more transparency. Then the council and the administration of the Ida Benderson Center would have known in June of the mayor's agenda, not one month prior to the closing of the facility. They could have all worked together to explore alternate funding to keep the center open and not force the seniors to go to the Salvation Army.
Kurt Schmeling
Conservative, Republican 614 Carbon St., Syracuse 13207 email@example.com; www.abettersyracuse.com Profession: HVAC technician, instructor Education: AAS Equivalent
I believe the money issue in this instance is bogus. The mayor has passed up many occasions to save money for the city taxpayers. I was the only voice that spoke out against the inclusion of $6 million in overtime at the last budget hearing. She, along with Bill Ryan, gave a Christmas present to the Chamber of Commerce of $250,000, and $60,000 for the senior citizens is a problem?
1st District
Matthew J. Rayo
Republican, Independence, Conservative 15 Brattle Road, Syracuse 13203 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.mattrayo.com Profession: Partner in a biodiesel firm, property management/maintenance, restaurant worker Education: BS, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
The mayor and the Salvation Army did not discuss the decision to close Ida Benderson with the Common Council, the seniors or the public until after the decision was announced. If everyone had been involved from the beginning, it is possible that the stakeholders may have come to the same conclusion as the mayor,
or may have been able to come up with an alternative solution. Because the decision to close Ida had already been made, however, the council should have held a vote on providing funding to the Salvation Army to support the transition.
Jake Barrett
Democratic, Working Families, Veterans 238 Brattle Road, Syracuse 13203 email@example.com Profession: Program manager, Catholic Charities of Onondaga County Education: BS/BA, Georgetown University
Populations served at the Ida Benderson Center have a sound and appealing alternative. The Salvation Army has a history of providing high-quality care. As the substitute, their Adult Day Services program is located just four blocks south. In terms of pure logistical advantages, the replacement Salvation Army site is far closer in proximity for the pending Centro bus depot. This new hub for the Centro's fixed bus routes will serve senior riders far better.
2nd District
Patrick Hogan
Democratic, Independence and Working Families 212 Bryant Ave., Syracuse 13204 email@example.com Profession: Teaching Assistant, School Based Intervention Team Education: AAS, Onondaga Community College
The mayor's decision was made without consultation with the Common Council. The entire council opposed it and offered alternative solutions that were rejected by the administration. The council is fully aware of the financial crisis that faces the city and imperils its future. While services and programs may have to be cut to keep the city solvent I will work to make sure the cuts don't fall unduly on the residents that can least afford it: the poor and elderly. In addition, in realizing that the federal and state governments will in all probability have to cut aid to the city, it is incumbent on us to find ways to grow city tax revenue. This is the reason we have proposed the change in the city charter to give the Common Council more control in zoning decisions. Decisions in the past have in many cases been consistently and persistently obstructionist to new businesses. Businesses that are unfettered by arcane rules and regulations will expand our tax base and give us both additional property tax revenue and sales tax allowing us to grow as a city.
3rd District
Bob Dougherty
Democratic, Working Families, Veterans 120 Edna Road, Syracuse 13205 email@example.com Profession: Retired Education: BA, Texas Christian University
My response to the Ida Benderson Center situation is not going to be popular, but unfortunately these tough economic times will call for many unpopular decisions. I have had personal experience with both the Ida Benderson Center and the Adult Day Services at the Salvation Army. I have found the comprehensive services at the Salvation Army to be excellent and far superior to the drop-in nature of Ida Benderson. With the Centro hub being relocated, it makes sense for this service to be closer to the bus lines. I understand that change is hard and believe that as much as possible should be done to ease this transition. Although I believe the city's solution was correct, I believe this situation could have been handled more expeditiously with better communication.
Jim Stelter
Republican, Independence 207 Edna Road, Syracuse 13205 firstname.lastname@example.com Profession: Retired
Where we have a situation having multiple needs where a single solution is required, I have found that by canvassing other communities within this state and utilizing their knowledge on how best they have satisfied their seniors' needs and concerns, we can develop a long-term plan. I would then set up a small committee of seniors to build a plan, hopefully with one or two alternates. Once this has been accomplished, funding and location will have to be determined. I believe by addressing this need in this manner, we will accomplish a long-term solution.
4th District
Khalid Bey
Democratic, Working Families 217 W. Kennedy St., Syracuse 13205 firstname.lastname@example.com; www.khalidforsyracuse.com Profession: Small business owner; author; public speaker Education: BS, Virginia State University
Once finance became a major issue, moving the program to "its own" location should have been considered (if it hadn't). I agree that $120,000 annually is too much for the space the center occupied, especially considering the state of the economy, but I do believe remedy can (still) be provided by considering the aforementioned. Government has to be willing to compromise in an effort to reduce "casualties," assuring that constituent services are ever No. 1 on its list.
Howie Hawkins
Green P.O. Box 562, Syracuse firstname.lastname@example.com
Reinstate funding for the Ida Benderson Center to help meet the needs of our growing population of seniors. It is a matter of priorities. The city didn't need to spend $377,000 bailing out the Chamber of Commerce's delinquent National Grid bill. The city's fiscal crisis is not due to spending on needed public services. It is due to tax cuts for the rich. Progressive tax reform and revenue sharing, state and local can resolve the fiscal crisis.
5th District
Nader Maroun
Democratic, Working Families, Veterans 1702 Euclid Ave., Syracuse 13224 email@example.com Education; MS, Rochester Institute of Technology; BA, SUNY Oswego
Encourage my fellow colleagues to be proactive and create a public/private ad hoc task force of volunteers to partner with the Community of Caring Coalition to:
1. Determine the need of all needy citizens
2. What are the costs associated?
3. Set a timeline for a report to be drafted/completed.
W. Bruce McDaniels
Did not respond.


text:
A. Jurisdiction of the Luther Code of Conduct
1. The Luther Code of Conduct shall apply to conduct that occurs on Luther College premises, at Luther College sponsored programs and activities, and to off-campus conduct that adversely affects the Luther College Community and/or the pursuit of its objectives. Each student shall be responsible for his/her conduct from the time of initial visit as a prospective student through the actual awarding of a degree, even though conduct may occur before classes begin or after classes end, as well as during the academic year and during periods between terms of actual enrollment, even if his/her conduct is not discovered until after a degree is awarded. The Code of Conduct shall apply to a student's conduct even if the student withdraws from school or is suspended while a disciplinary matter is pending. The Vice President and Dean for Student Life or designee shall decide whether the Code of Conduct shall be applied to conduct occurring off campus, on a case by case basis, at his/her sole discretion.
B. Conduct—Rules and Regulations
Students are required to engage in responsible social conduct that reflects credit upon the Luther College community and to model good citizenship in any community. Any student found to have committed or to have attempted to commit the following misconduct is subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in Article IV:
1. Violation of any federal, state or local law.
2. Violation of any Luther College policy, rule, or regulation published in hard copy or available electronically on the Luther College website.
3. Failure to comply with directions of Luther College officials or law enforcement officers acting in performance of their duties and/or failure to identify oneself to these persons when requested to do so.
4. Acts of dishonesty, including but not limited to the following:
a. Cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty (see the Luther Honor Code).
b. Furnishing false information to any Luther College official, faculty member, or office.
c. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of any Luther College document, record, or instrument of identification.
d. Use of college facilities and resources to produce, for unlawful purposes, documents such as identification cards and driver's licenses.
e. Tampering with the election of any college-recognized student organization.
5. Violations of fire/life safety provisions, including but not limited to:
a. Arson or attempted arson.
b. Use, possession or manufacture of explosives, including but not limited to, dangerous chemicals and fireworks.
c. Intentionally or recklessly misusing or damaging fire/life safety equipment.
d. Initiating or causing to be initiated any false warning of emergency or life-threatening circumstances.
e. Constructing and lighting a bonfire on campus, unless prior permission is granted by the Student Life Office.
6. Any possession of firearms, ammunition, swords, switchblades and other dangerous knives, bows and arrows, slingshots, pellet guns, paintball guns and all other weapons on Luther College premises or use of any such item, even if legally possessed (see Residence Life Policies and Procedures).
7. Disruption or obstruction of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary proceedings, other Luther College activities, including its public service functions on or off campus, or of other authorized non-Luther College activities when the conduct occurs on Luther College premises.
8. Participating in an on-campus or off-campus demonstration, riot or activity that disrupts the normal operations of Luther College and/or infringes on the rights of other members of the Luther College community; leading or inciting others to disrupt scheduled and/or normal activities within any campus building or area.
9. Obstruction of the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic on Luther College premises or at Luther College sponsored or supervised functions.
10. Careless or prohibited conduct which, by its nature, creates an unnecessary risk of physical harm including, but not limited to:
a. Climbing or rappelling from walls or other physical structures.
b. Unauthorized entry into the campus steam tunnels, air handling ducts, plumbing, electrical, or other utilities conduit or systems.
c. Unauthorized access to rooftops, closed sections of buildings, or other restricted access areas.
d. Failure to obey posted traffic control signs when operating a motor vehicle on campus.
e. The use of rollerblades, skates, or skateboards indoors or in an unsafe manner outdoors.
f. Sledding or skiing in unsafe areas.
g. Camping on campus without permission from the Student Life Office.
h. Class and/or lab behavior which endangers self or others.
11. Attempted or actual theft of, damage to, and/or possession of stolen property of Luther College or property of a member of the Luther College community or other personal or public property, on or off campus.
12. Unauthorized possession, duplication or use of keys or other access device to any Luther College premises or unauthorized entry to or use of Luther College premises (see Residence Life Policies and Procedures).
13. Conduct that is disorderly, lewd, or indecent; breach of peace; or aiding, abetting, or procuring another person to breach the peace on Luther College premises or at functions sponsored by, or participated in by, Luther College or members of the Luther community. Disorderly conduct includes but is not limited to: Any unauthorized use of electronic or other devices to make an audio or video record of any person while on Luther College premises without his/her prior knowledge, or without his/her effective consent when such a recording is likely to cause injury or distress. This includes, but is not limited to, surreptitiously taking pictures of another person in a gym, locker room, or restroom.
14. Physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, coercion, and/or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person, including, but not limited to, the following forms:
a. Direct oral expression and/or physical gestures or actions.
b. Notes, letters, and other forms of written communication distributed via U.S. mail, campus mail, or other means.
c. Phone calls, phone messages, or other forms of electronic verbal communication.
d. Email, text messages, instant messaging, social networks, or other means of electronic communication.
15. Sexual assault, sexual abuse, or other non-consensual sexual contact or activity (see Student Sexual Misconduct Policies and Procedures).
16. Discriminatory and or harassing conduct, including but not limited to:
a. Unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature (see Student Sexual Misconduct Policies and Procedures).
b. Harassment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, religion, disability, age, or any other category protected by law (see Discriminatory and Harassing Conduct Policies and Procedures).
17. Hazing, defined as an act which endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or which destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. The express or implied consent of the victim will not be a defense. Apathy or acquiescence in the presence of hazing are not neutral acts; they are violations of this rule (see Student/Campus Organizations Policies and Procedures).
18. Use, possession, manufacturing, or distribution of marijuana, heroin, narcotics, or other controlled substances except as expressly permitted by law, including the use or possession of drug-related paraphernalia (see Alcohol and Other Drugs Policies and Procedures).
19. Use, possession, manufacturing, or distribution of alcoholic beverages (except as expressly permitted by Luther College regulations), or public intoxication. Alcoholic beverages may not, in any circumstance, be used by, possessed by, or distributed to any person under twenty-one years of age. This policy applies to behavior on Luther College premises or at Luther College sponsored or supervised functions (see Alcohol and Other Drugs Policies and Procedures).
20. Smoking of cigarettes, cigars, and other forms of tobacco under the provisions of the Iowa Smokefree Air Act. This act prohibits smoking inside all buildings, outside all buildings, and on all college property including, but not limited to, sidewalks, parking lots and roads (and inside vehicles located on such grounds), athletic fields, and on any other college property. The possession of pipes, hookahs, and other smoking devices is also prohibited, as is the sale or distribution of tobacco products (see Alcohol and Other Drugs Policies and Procedures).
21. Theft or other abuse of computer facilities and resources, including but not limited to:
a. Unauthorized entry into a file to use, read, or change the contents, or for any other purpose.
b. Unauthorized transfer or copy of a file or software.
c. Use of another individual's identification and/or password.
d. Use of computing facilities and resources to interfere with the work of another student, faculty member or Luther College official.
e. Use of computing facilities and resources to send obscene or abusive messages.
f. Use of computing facilities and resources to access, download, store or distribute pornographic materials.
g. Use of computing facilities and resources to interfere with normal operation of the Luther College computing system.
h. Use of computing facilities and resources in violation of copyright laws.
i. Any violation of the Luther College Acceptable Use Policy.
22. Unauthorized or inappropriate use of the Luther College name or logos, or the names or likenesses of identifiable organizations or features of Luther College. These include but are not limited to, the names or logos of college athletic teams or organizations; recognized student organizations, residence halls and other campus buildings; and images and descriptions from college publications. Inappropriate use includes, but is not limited to:
a. Use of college names, logos and images for commercial purposes without permission.
b. Use of college names, logos and images by groups not recognized by Luther College.
c. Use of college names, logos and images in conjunction with activities not in accordance with Luther policies.
d. Use of college names, logos and images that do not conform to acceptable style guidelines established by the Publications Office.
23. Abuse of the student conduct system, including but not limited to:
a. Failure to obey the notice from a Student Conduct Board or Student Conduct Administrator to appear for a meeting or hearing as part of the student conduct system.
b. Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information before a Student Conduct Board or Student Conduct Administrator.
c. Disruption or interference with the orderly conduct of a Student Conduct Board or Student Conduct Administrator proceeding.
d. Institution of a Code of Conduct proceeding in bad faith.
e. Attempting to discourage an individual's proper participation in, or use of, the student conduct system.
f. Attempting to influence the impartiality of a member of a Student Conduct Board or Student Conduct Administrator prior to, and/or during the course of the Code of Conduct proceeding.
g. Harassment (verbal or physical) and/or intimidation of a member of a Student Conduct Board or Student Conduct Administrator prior to, during, and/or after a Code of Conduct proceeding.
h. Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed under the Code of Conduct.
i. Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the Code of Conduct system.
C. Violation of Law and Luther College Discipline
1. Luther College disciplinary proceedings may be instituted against a student charged with conduct that potentially violates both the criminal law and this Code of Conduct (that is, if both possible violations result from the same factual situation) without regard to the pendency of civil litigation in court, criminal arrest and prosecution, or any other legal proceeding or investigation. Proceedings under this Code of Conduct may be carried out prior to, simultaneously with, or following civil or criminal proceedings off campus at the discretion of the Vice President and Dean for Student Life or his/her designee. Determinations made or sanctions imposed under this Code of Conduct shall not be subject to change because criminal charges arising out of the same facts giving rise to violation of College rules were dismissed, reduced, or resolved in favor of or against the criminal law defendant.
2. When a student is charged by federal, state, or local authorities with a violation of law, Luther College will not request or agree to special consideration for that individual because of his or her status as a student. If the alleged offense is also being processed under the Code of Conduct, Luther College may advise off-campus authorities of the existence of the Code of Conduct and of how such matters are typically handled within the Luther College community. Luther College will attempt to cooperate with law enforcement and other agencies in the enforcement of criminal law on campus and in the conditions imposed by criminal courts for the rehabilitation of student violators (provided that the conditions do not conflict with campus rules or sanctions). Individual students and other members of the Luther College community, acting in their personal capacities, remain free to interact with governmental representatives as they deem appropriate.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Care Level: Moderate. Require soft to moderately hard water though some species may have a preference, low to medium light, regular fertilization. pH 6.0 to 7.2, GH up to 10 degrees/180ppm.
Origin: Eastern United States and southeastern South America; naturalized in parts of southeast Asia. Found in stagnant and slow to fast moving waters.


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Cooma FC was proud to have both of its senior teams finish second in the competition and as a result, secure a place in the major semi-final. The match was the Tigers' opportunity to play in the 2012 grand final. Unfortunately, only one of the two came through. The Cooma premiers now sit on the podium waiting for their next rival to appear.
First grand final in six years
A double from Goran Josifovski has sent Cooma Tigers to their first grand final in six years as the visitors knocked off League Champions Belconnen United on their own turf at McKellar Park. The Tigers midfield maestro did the damage in the second stanza to consign the Blue Devils to a preliminary final clash at Hawker Football Centre next weekend. With a grand final place at stake the opening exchanges of the match were predictably tense and tight with neither side able to stamp
their authority on proceedings and a typical finals series midfield battle ensuing. Alex Oloriegbe was his usual busy self in attack for the Tigers. But, such was the reputation of the attacking talent on show that chances were few and far between with the respective defences alert to any potential danger. Alex Castro went close with a driven cross-shot in the 28th minute that had Rowan
Shepherd at full stretch in the Belconnen goal as Cooma upped the ante however it was the hosts that broke the deadlock three minutes before the interval. There was a potential flashpoint shortly afterwards as Oloriegbe went down in an off the ball incident sparking a bout of pushing and shoving that resulted in a yellow card for Tigers shotstopper Francis Bangweni, cautioned for dissent for his disagreement with the challenge on his team mate, bringing a tepid opening half to a fiery conclusion.
The Blue Devils almost added to their lead within minutes of the re-start when Wells capitalised on a Bangweni error but saw his poked effort hit the underside of the bar and away to safety. That let-off seemed to spur on the Tigers who bounced back up the other end to level matters in the 54th minute. Oloriegbe was the catalyst turning in the after burners to streak down the flank and cut the ball back for Josifovski to neatly turn the ball into the net.
The Blue Devils returned in kind with a break that left full back Milan Popovich in the unaccustomed position of centre-forward but his lob faded just wide of the upright. With time running out and the match heading towards extra-time, Cooma struck again, and it was Josifovski who did it. Collecting a pass the midfielder feinted his way into a shooting position before curling a beauty past Shepherd and into the far corner to send the Tigers marching on to the big dance.
One more chance for Pathways
A five goal second half blast, including three in just 180 seconds, took Canberra FC past Cooma Tigers on a blustery afternoon at McKellar Park and into the loop Premier Pathway League grand final with a 5-1 success. And, despite as convincing as the end score-line may appear, Canberra FC was made to work hard by the Tigers who fell afoul of three minutes of madness.
The match got off to a barnstorming start as Cooma Tigers took the lead after only six minutes through a disputed penalty. A defensive error allowed Jair Wilk to control the ball in the box and, as he attempted to bring it to ground, he was bundled over by the covering defence.
After consulting his assistant the referee awarded the spot kick which Jeremias Ibarra, Cooma's dead ball expert, confidently dispatched past Jakob Cole to give the Tigers the advantage.
But Cooma could not keep a cool head. They ended up conceding five goals, and losing 5-1.
This unexpected result sent the Tigers to the preliminary final match where they will fight with Belconnen for a second chance to reach the grand final.
Related articles:
Blackjack boys fire Cooma Tigers


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The Government Management Reform Act (GMRA) of 1994 amended the requirements of the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act of 1990 by requiring an annual preparation and audit of agency-wide financial statements from the 24 major executive departments and agencies. The statements are to be audited by the Inspector General (IG), or an independent auditor at the direction of the IG. An audit report on the principal financial statements, internal controls, and compliance with laws and regulations is prepared after the audit is completed.
The Department's financial statements, which appear in the Financial Section of this Report, are audited by the independent accounting firm of Leonard G. Birnbaum and Company, LLP. Preparing the statements is part of the Department's goal to improve financial management and to provide accurate and reliable information that is useful for assessing performance and allocating resources. Department management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the financial information presented in the financial statements.
The financial statements and financial data presented in this Report have been prepared from the accounting records of the Department of State in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). GAAP for Federal entities are the standards prescribed by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB).
The Department has a proud tradition of unqualified opinions on our annual financial statements from our independent auditors for the better part of the last decade. Late in FY 2005, the Department became aware of large amounts of personal property, including aircraft and vehicles held by host countries and contractors, which had not been reflected in our financial statements. In December 2005, the independent auditors were able to satisfy themselves about the amounts presented as personal property in our FY 2005 and FY 2004 financial statements and issued an unqualified opinion thereon, dated December 14, 2005. In their report, the independent auditor cited the accounting for personal property, along with information systems security, as material weaknesses in internal controls.
The Department recognizes the importance of effective internal controls and committed to resolve the material weaknesses in 2006. Working closely with the independent auditor throughout the year, the Department took a number of corrective actions to address the most serious deficiencies in controls for the material weaknesses. As a result, and as reflected in their Report, the Independent Auditor downgraded these items to a reportable condition in connection with the audit of the Department's 2006 Principal Financial Statements.
To further strengthen internal controls in 2006, the Department also committed to fully implement the requirements of Appendix A, Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, of OMB Circular A-123. During the implementation of Appendix A specifically, and other work during FY 2006, Department management identified a material weakness related to accounting for real property construction-in-progress. The Department's controls related to the recording of real property and related depreciation expense and accumulated depreciation, during the majority of FY 2006 and all of FY 2005, were inadequate, resulting in (1) significant amounts of construction costs being expensed rather than capitalized, and (2) costs of completed projects not being moved from construction-in-progress on a timely basis.
Recognizing the severity of the deficiency, the Department developed detailed procedural guidance for establishing projects to ensure construction costs are properly capitalized and implemented monitoring controls for both project establishment and project completion. As a result of the corrective actions taken, the material weakness was resolved by September 30, 2006. However, due to complexity of the matters involved, and the accelerated financial reporting requirements, the Department was unable to provide timely financial statements or documentation on the appropriateness of the associated restatement to satisfy our Independent Auditor with regard to the presentation of real property in time to meet the November 15, 2006 deadline required by OMB. As a result, and as more fully explained in the Independent Auditor's Report, the Independent Auditor issued a disclaimer of opinion on our FY 2006 and restated FY 2005 financial statements. Since then, with the cooperation of the Independent Auditor and OIG, our efforts continued, and the Department satisfied the Independent Auditor about the amounts presented and have therefore received an unqualified ("clean") opinion thereon, dated December 12, 2006.
In relation to internal control, the Independent Auditor's Report cites as reportable conditions the recording and related depreciation of personal property and Department's security of information systems networks. The report also cites as reportable conditions: (1) the inadequacy of the Department's financial management systems, (2) the management of unliquidated obligations, (3) the implementation of Managerial Cost Accounting Standards, and (4) the recording and related depreciation for real property. The Department's financial management systems are also reported as noncompliant with laws and regulations, including the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (FFMIA).
The following tables summarize the weaknesses in internal control and compliance with laws and regulations cited in the FY 2006 Independent Auditor's Report, as well as the actions taken or planned to resolve the problems. All of the findings relate to the Department's strategic goal for Management and Organizational Excellence.
|Reportable Condition
|Corrective Actions
|Target Correction Date
Information System Security
Information system networks for domestic operations are vulnerable to unauthorized access. Consequently, systems, including the Department's financial management system, that process data using these networks may also be vulnerable. These deficiencies were cited as a material weakness in the Independent Auditor's Report on the Department's 2005 Financial Statements.
The Department remains acutely aware of the value and sensitivity of its information and information systems and is dedicated to the vigilance required to ensure their adequate protection. In response, the Department initiated a program to assess its information systems security on a comprehensive and continuing basis, and developed a Corrective Action Plan to address the material weakness identified in the FY 2005 financial statement audit. The 2006 FISMA Report presents major accomplishments, as well as specific metrics upon which performance is assessed.
For FY 2006, the Information Security Program (ISP) focused on addressing identified shortfalls in assessing information system security. Actions included creating an Information Security Steering Committee, creating a certification and accreditation working group, enhancing the Site Evaluation and Verification Program, improved contractor oversight, implementing Personnel Identity Verification, and integrating information security costs into the IT investment process. In addition, the Department accelerated the use of an internal bureau scorecard, which highlights each bureau's needed improvements in the areas of systems authorization, role based training, patch management, and Plans of Actions and Milestones (POA&M). As a result, the Independent Auditor downgraded this deficiency to a reportable condition in connection with the audit of the Department's 2006 Principal Financial Statements. In FY 2007, efforts will continue to strengthen the ISP along with addressing new OMB and NIST system requirements.
|Recording of Personal Property
The Department does not have a system of controls to account for personal property. Deficiencies exist in the controls over accounting for contractor-held property, aircraft, vehicles, and other personal property. These deficiencies were identified as a material weakness in the Independent Auditor's Report on the Department's 2005 Financial Statements.
In recognition of the deficiencies with respect to personal property, the Department's Management Control Steering Committee (MCSC) created a subcommittee to address these weaknesses. The subcommittee developed a Corrective Action Plan to address each of the matters identified in the Independent Auditor's Report on the FY 2005 financial statements. In 2006, improvements were implemented in the methods used to identify and report armored vehicle costs, aircraft, property held by contractors, and Department-owned vehicles. As a result, the Independent Auditor downgraded this deficiency to a reportable condition in connection with the audit of the Department's 2006 Principal Financial Statements. In FY 2007, efforts will continue to strengthen the controls over the accounting for personal property.
|Recording of Real Property
The Department's controls related to the recording of real property and related depreciation expense and accumulated depreciation, during the majority of FY 2006 and all of FY 2005, were inadequate, resulting in (1) significant amounts of construction costs being expensed rather than capitalized, and (2) costs of completed projects not being moved from construction-in-progress on a timely basis.
During the implementation of OMB Circular A-123, Appendix A, and other work during FY 2006, Department management noted problems related to accounting for construction-in-progress. As a result, the Department developed more detailed procedural guidance for establishing projects to ensure construction costs are properly capitalized and implemented monitoring controls for both project establishment and project completion. In FY 2007, the Senior Assessment team will continue to monitor this issue and test the controls to ensure they are operating effectively. The Department will also look for opportunities to further strengthen controls over accounting for real property.
Management of Unliquidated Obligations
The Department's internal control process related to managing undelivered orders is inadequate. It lacks a structured process for reconciling and deobligating funds in a timely manner, which may result in the loss of those funds.
Strengthening the management of unliquidated obligations (UDOs) is an important financial management initiative, and the Independent Auditor's Report notes that there have been improvements in this area. New capabilities were installed in the Department's Central Financial Management System that allow for the automatic deobligation of UDOs based on a wide range of criteria (e.g., age, object class, dollar amount). The new capabilities were used to deobligate funds totaling over $200 million.
As part of the President's Management Agenda Initiative for Improved Financial Performance, the Department prepares quarterly reports for OMB and senior management. Beginning with the March 2005 report, and all subsequent reports, the quarterly reports include a chart that identifies by bureau the percentage of UDOs with no activity for the past 12 months. This analysis is used to focus improvement efforts on those bureaus with the higher percentages of no activity.
The Department will continue to develop reports and processes to improve the management of UDOs.
Compliance with Managerial Cost Accounting Standards
While the Department complies with certain aspects of the Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards #4, it does not have an effective process to routinely collect managerial cost accounting information, establish outputs for each responsibility segment, or allocate all support costs.
To address MCAS requirements, the Department developed an automated Statement of Net Cost that enables reporting of cost information by strategic objects and goals, along with responsibility center. It also allows for the allocation of support costs. In FY 2005, the Department established a project team, which includes consultants with experience implementing Cost Accounting Systems, and project plan to implement the MCA initiative. The team:
In 2007, the team will conduct several pilots to test strategy, to be followed by a phased implementation Departmentwide.
Financial and Accounting Systems
(See Nonconformance below)
See discussion below.
|Nonconformance with Laws and Regulations
|Corrective Actions
|Target Correction Date
Financial and Accounting Systems
The Department's financial and accounting system, as of September 30, 2006, was inadequate. Certain elements of the financial statements, including, but not limited to, personal property, capital leases, and certain accounts payable, are developed from sources other than the general ledger. During 2006, the Department used several systems for the management of grants and other types of financial assistance. The Department's financial system (1) does not provide effective control over personal property, and (2) is unable to issue year-end financial data to be included in its PAR in a timely manner.
Significant progress has been made over the past few years to improve financial management systems worldwide. The Department has reduced the number of financial systems from six to two, and the number of post-level financial systems from nine to two.
In 2005, the overseas Regional Financial Management System was upgraded to the most current version of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software used by this system. In 2006, the Department expanded the number of on-line overseas users, and added and enhanced a number of interfaces. Also in 2006, improvements were made to enhance the usefulness of financial information through the implementation of improved reporting capabilities for overseas users. In 2007, domestic users will be converted to the same platform and software services overseas users thereby establishing the Global Financial Management System (GFMS). As part of the GFMS implementation, the most up-to-date module for accounting for fixed assets will be installed, and a new data warehouse is being built that will provide for better reporting capabilities for users.
To improve the management of grants and other types of financial assistance, the Department is developing, in collaboration with USAID, the Joint Assistance Management System (JAMS). Once implemented, JAMS will provide the capability to centrally track and manage Federal financial assistance issued by the Department. The Department plans to conduct a pilot phase in 2007, followed by deployment through 2008.
The FY 2006 and FY 2005 financial statements, which appear in the Financial Section of this report, have been restated as described below. Additional information on the restatements is provided in Note 20, Restatements, of the accompanying FY 2006 and FY 2005 financial statements.
The Department provides portions of its budget authority to various agencies to conduct activities in support of the Department's mission. For example, the Department allocates monies to the Department of Health and Human Services, USAID, and others for global HIV/AIDS activities. For FY 2006, the Department received notification of changes to amounts previously reported by recipient agencies after issuance of our FY 2006 Financial Statements on November 15, 2006 (to meet OMB's deadline), but prior to the issuance of these financial statements. The net effect of the corrections on the Department's FY 2006 financial statements is to decrease Other Assets, Total Assets, Unexpended Appropriations, and Total Net position by $104.5 million; and to increase Appropriations Used, Total Cost and Net Cost by $104.5 million. The restatement had no effect on the Statement of Budgetary Resources.
The FY 2005 financial statements, have been restated to correct errors with respect to the accounting for certain real property transactions. The effect of the restatement was to decrease Total Net Cost for 2005 by $160.7 million, and increase Property and Equipment, Total Assets, Cumulative Results of Operations and Total Net Position by $617.6 million. Cumulative Results of Operations at the beginning of 2005 has been adjusted by $457 million for the effects of the restatement on prior years. The restatement had no effect on the Statement of Budgetary Resources or the President's Budget. Additional information on the restatement is provided in Note 20, Restatements, of the accompanying FY 2006 and FY 2005 financial statements.
In the course of the Department's first-year efforts to implement Appendix A, Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, of OMB's Circular A-123, Management's Responsibility for Internal Control, we identified errors in previously reported amounts for real property and associated depreciation and operating expenses as follows.
Significant awareness was raised about the importance of the internal controls related to these activities, and a number of actions were taken to strengthen processes and controls to preclude future errors of this nature. For example, procedural guidance was developed, documented and implemented. In addition, processes were established to monitor outstanding projects on a periodic basis for the purpose of identifying any projects that are being improperly expensed, or that are complete but not reclassified to buildings and structures. Also, as part of the Department's on-going A-123 Appendix A program, the controls related to these activities will be tested annually to ensure they are in place and operating effectively.
Assets. The Consolidated Balance Sheet shows the Department had total assets of $40.0 billion at the end of 2006. This represents an increase of $3.6 billion (10%) over the previous year's total assets of $36.4 billion. The increase is primarily the result of increases of $2.1 billion in Fund Balances with Treasury, $1.3 billion in property and equipment, and $528 million in investments in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund (FSRDF). The increase in Fund Balances with Treasury primarily resulted from a $1.8 billion increase in unexpended appropriations.
The Department's assets reflected in the Consolidated Balance Sheet are summarized in the following table (dollars in thousands):
|Investment, Net
|Fund Balances with Treasury
|Property and Equipment, Net
|Accounts, Loans & Interest Receivable, Net
|Other Assets
| 131,154
| 225,434
|Total Assets
Investments, Fund Balances with Treasury and Property and Equipment comprise approximately 98% of total assets for 2006 and 2005. Investments consist almost entirely of U.S. Government Securities held in the FSRDF.
Information on Heritage Assets, which consist of art furnishings held for public exhibition, education and official entertainment, is provided in the RSI section of this report.
Liabilities. The Department had total liabilities of $17.9 billion at the end of 2006, which is reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and summarized in the following table (dollars in thousands):
|Foreign Service Retirement Actuarial Liability
|Liability to International Organizations
|Accounts Payable
|Other Liabilities
| 1,268,726
| 1,202,774
|Total Liabilities
The Foreign Service Retirement Actuarial (FSRA) Liability of $14.2 billion and the Liability to International Organizations of $1.2 billion comprise 86% of the Department's total liabilities at the end of 2006.
Of the total liabilities, $2.1 billion were unfunded, i.e., budgetary resources were not available to cover these liabilities. The $2.1 billion is primarily comprised of the $1.2 billion Liability to International Organizations, and the unfunded portion of the Environmental Liabilities of $392.3 million.
The $1.2 billion Liability to International Organizations consists of $1.1 billion in calendar year 2006 annual assessments, and $60 million in accumulated arrears assessed by the UN, its affiliated agencies and other international organizations. These financial commitments mature into obligations only when funds are authorized and appropriated by Congress.
Ending Net Position. The Department's Net Position at the end of 2006 on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Net Position is $22.1 billion, a $2.9 billion (15%) increase from the previous fiscal year. Net Position is the sum of the Unexpended Appropriations and Cumulative Results of Operations.
The growth in Unexpended Appropriations is due principally to the continued increase in budget authority received to provide funding for embassy security, international narcotics control, and the Global HIV/AIDS initiative. The increase in Cumulative Results of Operations resulted mainly from the $1.3 million increase in property and equipment.
The results of operations are reported in the Consolidated Statement of Net Cost and the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Net Position.
The Consolidated Statement of Net Cost presents the Department's gross and net cost for its strategic objectives and strategic goals. The net cost of operations is the gross (i.e., total) cost incurred by the Department, less any exchange (i.e., earned) revenue. The Consolidating Schedule of Net Cost categorizes costs and revenues by strategic goal and responsibility segment. A responsibility segment is the component that carries out a mission or major line of activity, and whose managers report directly to top management. For the Department, a Bureau (e.g., Bureau of African Affairs) is considered a responsibility segment. For presentation purposes, Bureaus have been summarized and reported at the Under Secretary level (e.g., Under Secretary for Political Affairs). Information on the Bureaus (or equivalent) that report to each Under Secretary can be found on the Organization Chart for the Department provided earlier in this Report. The presentation of program results by strategic objectives and strategic goals is based on the Department's current Strategic Plan established pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993.
The Department's total net cost of operations for 2006, after intra-departmental eliminations, was $12.5 billion. The strategic objective to "Achieve Peace and Security" represents the largest investment for the Department at 40.2% of the Department's net cost of operations. The net cost of operations for the remaining strategic objectives varies from 11.7% to 30.0%.
The Consolidated Statement of Changes in Net Position presents the accounting items that caused the net position section of the balance sheet to change since the beginning of the fiscal year. Appropriations Used totaled $14.3 billion, comprising 93% of the Department's total budgetary financing sources.
These two tables reflect the funds that the Department received during 2006 and how these funds were used.
The Combined Statement of Budgetary Resources provides information on how budgetary resources were made available to the Department for the year and their status at fiscal year-end. For the fiscal year, the Department had total budgetary resources of $26.4 billion, an increase of 5.9% from 2005 levels. Budget Authority of $21.8 billion - which consists of $16.1 billion for appropriations (direct, related, and supplemental) and transfers, and $1.3 billion financed from trust funds - comprise 65.9% of the total budgetary resources. The Department incurred obligations of $21.1 billion for the year, a 1.9% increase over the $20.7 billion of obligations incurred during 2005. Outlays reflect the actual cash disbursed against the Department's obligations.
The Combined Statement of Financing reconciles the resources available to the Department to finance operations with the net costs of operating the Department's programs. Some operating costs, such as depreciation, do not require direct financing sources.
The FY 2006 budget for the Department of State totaled $10.468 billion. It included appropriations for the Administration of Foreign Affairs ($7.985 billion), contributions to international organizations and international peacekeeping activities ($2.303 billion), international commissions ($67 million), and related programs ($113 million). These amounts do not include foreign assistance funding.
The Department's FY 2006 budget was funded through the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006. The budget also reflected supplemental funding provided through the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and Pandemic Influenza, 2006 and the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006. Supplemental funding was required primarily to address the extraordinary costs of security and operations of the U.S. Missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the U.S. assessed costs of United Nations peacekeeping missions.
In addition to appropriated funds, the Department continued to rely on revenue from user fees - Machine Readable Visa fees, Enhanced Border Security Program fees, the Western Hemisphere Travel Surcharge, and other fees - for the Border Security Program. The fee revenue supported program requirements to protect American citizens and safeguard the nation's borders. These requirements included increased consular workloads and the national security mandate to collect biometric data for U.S. passports and visas.
Appropriations under Administration of Foreign Affairs provide the Department's core funding. They support the people and programs required to carry out foreign policy and advance U.S. national security, political, and economic interests at more than 260 posts around the world. They also build, maintain, and secure the infrastructure of the diplomatic platform from which most U.S. Government agencies operate overseas.
For FY 2006, the Department's principal operating appropriation - Diplomatic and Consular Programs (D&CP) - was funded at $5.711 billion. This funding sustained critical diplomatic and consular operations and enabled the Department to meet the new demands of transformational diplomacy. D&CP funding included $731 million for Worldwide Security Upgrades to increase security for diplomatic personnel and facilities under threat from terrorism and $330 million for vigorous public diplomacy to inform foreign opinion and gain support for U.S. policies abroad. The funding also included resources to further the Government-wide reforms of the President's Management Agenda and agency-specific initiatives on rightsizing the U.S. Government presence overseas and Federal real property asset management.
The Department's appropriations for information technology (IT) initiatives totaled $126 million - $58 million in the Capital Investment Fund (CIF) and $68 million in the Centralized Information Technology Modernization Program. Revenue from Expedited Passport fees provided additional funding for IT Central Fund investments. These investments helped modernize the Department's global IT infrastructure and provide ready access to foreign affairs applications and information. FY 2006 investments in IT also supported e-Government initiatives of the President's Management Agenda. The Department's infrastructure and mission-oriented application systems supported approximately 46,000 users, at over 390 locations worldwide, for both classified and unclassified processing.
The Embassy Security, Construction, and Maintenance (ESCM) appropriation was funded at $1.490 billion. This funding helped provide U.S. missions overseas with secure, safe, and functional facilities. The funding also supported management of the Department's real estate portfolio, which exceeds $14 billion in value and includes over 15,000 properties. From the appropriation total, $899 million supported capital security construction and compound security projects. Under the Capital Security Cost Sharing program, all agencies with overseas staff under Chief of Mission authority contributed an additional $200 million to the construction costs of new diplomatic facilities.
The Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs (ECE) appropriation was funded at $431 million. These strategic activities engaged foreign audiences to develop mutual understanding and build foundations for international cooperation. Aligned with public diplomacy efforts, they reached out to younger and more diverse audiences, especially in the Muslim world. The funding included $243 million for academic exchanges of foreign participants and U.S. citizens, notably through the J. William Fulbright Scholarship Program. The funding also included $150 million for professional and cultural exchanges, such as Citizen Exchanges and the International Visitor Leadership Program, which inaugurated the Edward R. Murrow Journalism Program.
For FY 2007, the Department's budget request (at this date still pending before Congress) totals $9.504 billion. It includes resources to address ongoing foreign policy priorities, particularly to support the global war on terror and advance transformational diplomacy. The request for D&CP is $4.652 billion, including $795 million for upgrades of physical security equipment and technical support, information and systems security, perimeter security, and security training. The request provides $68 million in CIF for information technology investments worldwide. The request for ESCM totals $1.540 billion, including $899 million for design and/or construction of secure facilities, additional site acquisitions, and compound security projects. Finally, the request provides $474 million for ECE to increase the number of participants in exchange programs of proven value, engage key influencers in overseas publics, and support the National Security Language Initiative.
|Program Type
|Social Security
|National Defense
|Medicaid, Health, Other Entitlements
|Net Interest
|International Affairs
|All Other Functions
Source: Mid-Session Review, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2007.
Management prepares the accompanying financial statements to report the financial position and results of operations for the Department of State pursuant to the requirements of Chapter 31 of the United States Code section 3515(b). While these statements have been prepared from the books and records of the Department in accordance with OMB Circular A-136, Financial Reporting Requirements, these statements are in addition to the financial reports used to monitor and control the budgetary resources that are prepared from the same books and records. These statements should be read with the understanding that they are for a component of the U.S. Government, a sovereign entity. One implication of this is that unfunded liabilities reported in the statements cannot be liquidated without the enactment of an appropriation and ongoing operations are subject to the enactment of appropriations. The Department also issues financial statements for its Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund (FSRDF), International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) and the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC). The complete, separately-issued FSRDF, ICASS and IBWC Annual Financial Reports are available from the Department's Bureau of Resource Management, Office of Financial Policy, Reporting and Analysis, 2401 E Street, Room H1500, Washington, DC, 20037; (202) 261-8620.
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text:
: Development:
The 4th gen class split in 3rd gen
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December 16th, 2011 (3:50 PM). Edited December 17th, 2011 by colcolstyles.
Yours truly
Crystal Tier
Join Date: May 2008
Location: The Bay Area
Gender: Male
Nature: Lonely
Posts: 1,592
I think I found the bit of code responsible for the Counter/Mirror Coat glitch. At 0x47f02, the game loads the elemental type of the move with a "ldrb r6, [r0, #0x2]" instruction. Change the offset to wherever your custom physical/special/status byte is. Then, go to 0x48148 and change the "cmp r6, #0x8" instruction to "cmp r6, #0x0". Honestly, I don't understand the differences between the two branches but when I changed the conditional, it fixed the glitch.
edit: Ah, what the hell. I've attached my patch for whoever wants to test it.
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