Thursday, September 23, 2010

Mayor Sottile...NO MORE 9% TAX INCREASES ....CUT Fire Department

To Mayor Sottile,


We cannot cut the Police Force. We can cut some supervisory positions at DPW. However, we MUST cut the Kingston Fire Department budget down from $7 Million. We can no longer afford to send fire trucks to all Emergency Calls. We can no longer have firemen sleeping through the 12 midnight to 8am shift. Please Mr. Mayor, do not burden City taxpayers with another 9% tax increase plus more fees and plus more layoffs in DPW in order to preserve a GOLD plated Paid Fire Department. To discuss further, Go To my blog at......ULSTERTAX.BLOGSPOT.COM

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Fire Dept needs to be cut. They are cutting the Fire Dedpt in Newburgh again and they have the same type of contract. Cut the Fire Dept $7M is to much.

Anonymous said...

Since when did the Fire Department have a 12-8 shift? Where do you get your information from? No wonder nobody comes on here, too much ad-libbing.

Ralph Mitchell said...

To 1:18am,

If you know the correct KFD shift times, please post them on this blog so as to add to our knowledge.
Thanks.

Anonymous said...

The way it's explained to me is 4 shifts. a fireman works 3 7a-5p day shifts, then has 3 days off, then works 3 5p-7a shifts and then loops back around. And I don't care if they sleep at night. They are there in 3-4 minutes anyway.

Ralph Mitchell said...

To 10:15am,
Thanks for posting the KFD shift rotation schedule. Let's talk about the 5pm to 7am shifts. Maybe that shift should have some fire personnel "on-call" at home, being paid much less than being "on-site" sleeping. This brings up another KFD "sore point". I think all newly hired KFD personnel should be required to live in the Kingston City limits. This local living requirement would allow the new KFD contract to incorporate the above recommendation for some fire personnel to be home "on-call" at much less pay during the 5pm to 7am shift.

Anonymous said...

The firedepartment does need to be trimmed down. However, don't look for the Mayor to do something like that since many of them work hard to make sure he and others are elected or re-elected.

Ralph Mitchell said...

To 3:31pm,
It is unethical and immoral for the Mayor and Kingston City government to raise property taxes 9% every year just to maintain the salary increases for the Paid Fire Dept. which we definitely do not need or cannot afford. The key words are unethical and immoral.

Anonymous said...

Newburgh has cut firefigthers in there 2011 budget. So it can be done.

Anonymous said...

Schenectady is closing one fire house and layoff 19 firefighters so Kingsotn can do the same as they all have similar contracts.

Ralph Mitchell said...

To 1:18pm and To 9:41am,

Thanks for posting these 2 examples of New York cities cutting their Fire Budgets. It will be an outrage if Kingston does not cut its Fire Budget for 2011 by at least 15 percent from
$7 Million to $6 Million. Why should we hard working taxpayers of the City of Kingston have to continue suffering paying 8, 9 and 10 percent taxes increases each year so as to allow the Fire Dept. to continue receiving unnecessary raises and benefits including lavish pensions? Please call Mayor Sottile and ask him, Why?

Anonymous said...

The Common Council already proposed cuts to the budget to get increase to zero - it was covered in The Times Herald Record October 20th - unfortunately the dems made it partisan instead of including the 2 Republican Alderpersons.

One proposal that could be added should be to cut the sewer budget by letting the firemen sleep at the treatment plant rather then in the firehouses during third shift.

Anonymous said...

Give up the Jeep Jim - it is a tough decision - lead by example.

Anonymous said...

As of last week, the citizens of Schenectady voiced their displeasure of the city laying off 19 of their firefighters. The Council listened, and restored all positions. There will be no laying off of firefighters OR closing fire stations in Schenectady....

Your beef with the Fire Department is getting old. Did a fireman steal your old lady or something?