No Developers For Uptown Parking Garage Project

Now you can see why we are always complaining about the unreasonable Fire Budget and contract in Kingston.  Also, the Business property tax rate being higher than the residential property tax  rate chases developers away.  Do you notice that there is little or no private construction going on in Kingston?  I disagree with planner Sue Cahill.  The new Uptown vibrancy will not draw a developer.  But if the Mayor and Common Council had a plan to slash and reorganize the Fire Budget and to equalize business and residential property taxes, then developers would come.

Kevin Cahill..Please Apologize

Let's call a spade, a spade.  Kevin Cahill is at fault at least 90 percent.  He risked a spike in local City of Kingston and Town taxes in order to interfere and pressure County government to take on safety net......something Hein and the local towns had already committed to.  So now Cahill is happy with what Hein and the local towns had already committed to.  However, there is one small problem.  Since time ran out on Cahill's risk and the Assembly/Senate left town for good in 2013, we local taxpayers are left with millions of dollars less of local sales tax revenue which needs to be made up by property tax increases and local government layoffs and local government service cuts.  My basic question, "Kevin Cahill, what were you thinking of, when you risked the local government tax revenue in order to pick a fight with Mike Hein and local government leaders?"  My suggestion.  Admit that you made a mistake and admit that local legislative issues should be solved by local Ulster County citizens and not solved by Assemblymen interfering in the local legislative process.

Let's make a deal. Move the KHS $138 Million Bond Issue vote to the regular Election Day, Nov.5th.

Let's make a deal.  Move the KHS $138 Million Bond Issue vote to the regular Election Day, Nov.5th, and we the taxpayers will be less cynical and we may vote Yes.  What is cynicism?  It is the distrust of the motives of others.  We will request by letter and / or petition that the Kingston School Board move the vote on this single issue from December 10th to the regular November 5th Election Day.  This move of the vote day will save the district $15,000, since the Ulster County Board of Elections conducts the Nov.5th vote.  Also, the Nov.5th vote would dramatically increase voter participation on this issue.  Finally, the Nov.5th vote would reduce local voter cynicism for the scheduling the bond vote for Dec.10th, which is 2 weeks before Christmas, when many local taxpayers have already left for Florida.  Right now, the scheduling of the bond vote for Dec.10th appears to be motivated by "voter suppression", ie. more YES votes than NO votes will come out on Dec.10th.  Kingston School Board, let's do the right thing and move the bond issue vote from Dec.10th to Nov.5th.  If anyone is interested in helping by carrying a one-page 25 signature petition asking the school board to move this vote, please contact me.