The Capital District YMCA, an organization operating as a so-called non-profit organization, but holding more than $50 million dollars in tax-exempt real-estate assets in the Capital District of New York (Albany-Schenectady-Rensselaer, and Greene counties in New York state) is a fraud.
The problem with all of this is that the Capital District YMCA misleads the public, and nickel-and-dimes its membership!
Problem with the CDYMCA is that it’s a load of hogwash!
OUR MISSION
To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.
Nice words but they’re not backed by performance, conduct, or the facts!
Why do we write something like that? Well, an organization that pays its CEO, Mr. C. David Brown more than $335,000 a year plus benefits, and pays its numerous executive directors, directors, and managers in the high 5-figures and 6-figures salary ranges, certainly shouldn’t be considered a non-profit. Well, maybe it doesn’t operate in the black because its CEO, Mr. Brown, and its other executives hiding out at their corporate offices at 465 New Karner Road (Albany) are carrying off the major portion of any cash the organization might have.
The Capital District YMCA has amassed a fortune in real estate in the Capital District area but doesn’t pay a dime in property taxes. Imagine the taxes on properties valued at at least $55 million and what those tax dollars could do for the communities where the Y has its properties.
The Y’s executives send out all kinds of propaganda telling everyone how much they’re doing for the communities but anyone with half a brain has to ask the question: “What could we do for the community if the Y paid their taxes?” With those assets, we’d guess a good many communities could do a hell of a lot! And think of the money that could be saved by not having to pay some fat CEO almost a half-million in salary plus benefits! Add to that the fat salaries of the weasels hiding at 465 New Karner Road, and all of the 4 or 5 so-called “executive directors” pulling 6-figures, and the other “directors” running the local facilities. That’s one big pile of dough, people, yet they still cry poverty!!! Yet they still accumulate assets in the area. And they still are fully exempt on the tax rolls, and don’t pay a dime in taxes.
CDYMCA CEO C. David Brown collects more than $335,000 in salary.
We’ve already reported on how scandalous the Capital District YMCA has been but they have no shame and continue to laugh their way to the bank, while begging for more and more. Here are some examples from just last year and this year:
- In 2019, the CDYMCA sent out a letter to all members informing them that there would be a $1 increase in monthly membership dues.
- In 2019, the CDYMCA sent out a letter to all members informing them that the veterans savings would be changed to 25%; in other words, the CDYMCA cut veterans discount by 50%, a cut that increased some members’ dues by 50% (for example, one member’s monthly dues went from $26/month to $39/month!)
- In February 2020, the CDYMCA sent out a letter to all members informing them that there would be a $2 increase in monthly membership dues starting in April 2020 (already in effect as of this writing).
Another great decision made by our little illiterate friend, Erin Breslin!
- In March 2020 a form letter allegedly sent out by CDYMCA CEO C. David Brown – Yes. That’s the same scoundrel who’s taking over $335,000 in salary from the Y – asking members to become sustaining members, that is, to continue paying monthly dues while the Ys are closed.
Now. Think what would happen if a local business were to nickel-and-dime their customers the way the CDYMCA is doing. How long do you think theyd be in business? But the fact is, the local business has to pay its taxes in addition to having to pay its employees and maybe even benefits. The local business is not very likely to get any government handouts, but the so-called very profitable non-profit will carry off big-time government support, subsidies, and grants! We see something very, very wrong in this picture. Don’t you?
Here’s a test: The task is to read the message below and somehow twist it into meaning that the writer (1) doesn’t want to be charged any more, and (2) wants to cancel his/her membership:
Well, if you couldn’t find that in the message, neither could we. What the writer does say, and what Breslin seems to miss , is this part:
“I’d like to know the CDYMCA’s plans to either credit or reimburse the monthly dues collected from patron’s accounts and to suspend further deductions of dues until CDYMCA can open its doors and provide access to the services I have contracted to receive.”
We don’t see anything about “cancelling membership” in there or anywhere. What we do see is a fair question. But Ms Erin Breslin, Senior Director of Marketing and Membership at the CDYMCA did read in that message that the member didn’t want to pay dues anymore and wanted his/her membership cancelled. Go figure.
But Breslin is one of those CDYMCA executives who is probably pulling a 6-figure salary from the so-called non-profit, non-taxpaying organization. But Breslin can’t read!!! And that’s not the first instance of Breslin’s dyslexia! She played the same games when we inquired about the CDYMCA’s slashing of its membership discount offered to veterans! Sure, slash the veteran’s discounts and then nickel-and-dime members because you want to “keep pace with wages and benefits,” while offering freebies to parasites and non-dues paying members (their dues are covered by their insurance coverage)
We guess the message the CDYMCA is sending is that if you’re illiterate or just plain stupid, there is still a place where you can make a cool hundred grand and get away with it!
WHERE IS THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, THE LOCAL TAX COLLECTORS AND ASSESSORS, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, OUR LEGISLATORS, OTHER MEMBERS WHILE ALL OF THIS SCAMMING IS GOING ON? WHERE ARE THE VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS WHILE THE CDYMCA IS ABUSING OUR VETERANS? THEY’RE ASLEEP ON WATCH AND NOT DOING THEIR JOBS, THAT’S WHERE THEY ARE!
When the cat’s asleep, the rats play!
Who’s monitoring the non-profits, anyway?
Problem is: Breslin actually cancelled the member’s membership and, when contacted by the member, insisted that the member asked that his/her membership be cancelled!!! Unbelievable! Can this be a case of retaliation by a CDYMCA employee? Was Breslin acting out of personal emotion and not in her capacity as an organization officer?
Editor’s Note:
* In fact, the $2 per month increase announced in February became effective in April; with that $2/month increase in CDYMCA membership dues, the deduction from the member’s account for April was actually $40.50 as opposed to $39.00. The corrected total for the above would be $79.50. We have been informed that CDYMCA has since credited the member’s account in the amount of $79.50 but at the same time, cancelled the member’s membership! Is that what CEO C. David Brown meant in his begging letter (see below)? Ask for dues forgiveness during the lock-down and have your membership cancelled? This looks like another Capital District YMCA snow job to us! Or is it retaliation? A personal punishment for a particular member? Looks to us like this could blow up in CDYMCA’s face, and turn into some bad publicity and a lawsuit! Bad move AGAIN, Erin Breslin, very bad! Breslin seems to be very good at making very bad membership decisions!
Now, remember, we noted above that early in 2019 the CDYMCA increased everyone’s monthly dues by $1/month. Then in about September or so, they slashed the veterans discount by 50%, and then in April 2020, increased member’s monthly dues by another $2/month.
Remember also, that CEO Brown sent out a letter in March 2020 asking members to continue paying monthly dues as “sustaining members,” while the Y was closed. That letter was more than 3600 words long and repeated over and again how great the Y is, and how great the love fest is thanks to the Y. It was a very cleverly written letter covering the front and the back of a page. But here’s the problem, and here’s why the member had to ask about whether dues would be forgiven during the lock-down: Brown dedicates only 23 words out of the 3600 words to say that a member who couldn’t afford to donate monthly dues could put his/her membership on hold. Here’s the text:
In a telephone conversation between a member and Erin Breslin, you know, the illiterate Senior Director for Marketing and Membership at the CDYMCA, Breslin asked the member:
Will the real Erin Breslin please step forward and take responsibility? Resign?
BRESLIN: Yes, sir. So, if we put all of our memberships on hold then when we’re opening back up, what will we use…what funds will we use to pay our employees returning?
And the member responds:
MEMBER: That’s not my problem. You take a pay cut. Other people…What are other businesses doing? What are other businesses doing with their employees? They’ve furloughed them! They’ve laid them off! They’ve given them work-at-home opportunities! That is not my problem. If you want to run an organization, you figure out how you have to run it. It’s quite simple. Don’t ask me how you’re supposed to pay your employees. Tell Mr. David Brown or whatever his name is to take a 50% pay cut, and use that money to pay your employees. You’ve got $55 … million in assets; pledge some of them! That’s up to you! You figure out how you’re gonna run your organization. Don’t ask me! That’s not my problem. I have to figure out how I run my life; you have to figure out how to run your life … and your organization. Now, if you can’t figure out how to run your organization with your executive directors, and your, your directors, your executives, your board, then I think you’d better find a different job, to be very honest with you. Because you’re in the position you’re in figure out how to work things out, and if you’re faced with a crisis situation, I think that’s where good management, and training, and knowledge, and wisdom comes into play. Not [by] telling members we can’t figure out how we’re going to do this, so we’re going to continue being unfair to you. I’m surprised that you would actually ask me a question like that.
We are informed that CDYMCA CEO C.D. Brown and several other officers of the CDYMCA, Carl Oropallo, Mark Thurman, in addition to E. Breslin, were contacted regarding the veterans issue and the dues during closure, but only Breslin responded, albeit a bit stupidly. We are continuing to follow this Capital District YMCA story, and will be contacting legislators, the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, the IRS, and members of Congress for answers and to demand an inquiry/investigation. We are in the process of contacting veterans organizations, including the county veterans affairs offices, in order to demand that they take some action regarding the cut in the veterans savings.
Good news is that it’s an election year and veterans are a brotherhood. Some of us still stand behind our veterans and will be watching how veterans organizations respond and what they do. We’ll also be following up with elected officials and hold their feet to the fire on what they do to fix these situations.
This is YOU, if you’re not holding the non-profits’ feet to the fire, and making them accountable and transparent!