To the Editor:
What, me worry? For those of us of a certain age, that phrase is synonymous with Alfred E. Neuman, the venerable persona of arguably one of the best humor magazines of its day, Mad Magazine. If not for copyright infringement, Alfred would be an apt spokesman for Pyramid Management Group. 

As Sean Mulkerrin’s article of March 18, “Guilderland OKs confidentiality agreement in Crossgates tax lawsuit,” details, since a judge agreed to this arrangement, Pyramid can rest comfortably in the knowledge that nothing of its business will become public knowledge as a result of the litigation surrounding the abatement of its current tax assessment. 

The significant factor here is that our town has amenably signed on. In so doing, our town leadership has determined that the stakeholders who will truly be impacted by the possible success of any tax abatement, resident taxpayers, should be kept in the dark as to what supports a determination for being relieved of tax revenue that should be sustaining the town. 

According to the article, both Pyramid and the town of Guilderland have agreed to the stipulation and that “either side may designate as confidential any documents filed or testimony given in connection with the case.” 

Back in October 2020, when the town took a position of arguing against the tax certiorari and made the demand of Pyramid to produce documentation that Crossgates had not been income-producing, I applauded. Finally, our town was going to hold Pyramid accountable and act in the interests of the constituency of Guilderland. Pony up their fair share, just like the rest of us. 

But now there is this. A formal agreement that not only shields Pyramid’s dealings from public scrutiny, but also the town’s. Once again, the specter of alliance rears its head and sadly the common cause is the public’s right to know.

For a town government that boasts of transparency, the ability to declare anything of these proceedings to be off limits from public disclosure, is troubling. How can a leadership be trusted that actively operates in secrecy? With all due respect to Alfred, that should make us all worry.  

Iris Broyde

Guilderland