Mike Hein's Report Card is Two A's and One C (Economic Development)

Mike Hein's Report Card

A --- Budget and Taxes

A --- County Services & Efficient Use of Resources

C --- Economic Development

Let's expand on the reasons for the C in Economic Development.

1)  Tech City (former IBM Kingston property) --- Mike has not spent much political capital, ie. He has not beat the drums, stuck his neck out or even publicly mentioned Tech City in his radio appearances and Chamber of Commerce speeches.  He has failed to successfully connect with Governor Cuomo for help in bringing companies into this perfectly located property.  The failure to
market and use Tech City has hurt our county's economy and our residents.

2)   Mike continues to align himself with a strictly "green" agenda that accepts grant money for trails, while ignoring the Huge Potential of 12-month Tourist Trains from Kingston Plaza to the Glenford Dike at the Ashokan Reservoir.  Kingston Area businesses and taxpayers would greatly benefit from the proven potential of the tourist railroad in drawing tourists from NYC, Albany, downstate, NJ, MA, CT and other areas for the highly popular "Polar Express".  This short train ride to the Kenco area could easily be expanded to go to the edge of the Ashokan Reservoir to shuttle tourists, including handicapped, senior citizen, to enjoy the sights.  However, the key is to start the train ride at the Kingston Plaza where tourists can enjoy the many restaurants, hotels and amenities of the the Kingston area.  The Kingston Plaza location has the potential for bringing in a developer to build
a hotel at the sight of the former parking garage on North Front Street in Uptown Kingston.  A new train station could be contructed near Mac Fitness in the Plaza, looking up toward the Pike Plan on Wall Street in the Stockade district.  The potential is enormous.  But right now, Mike Hein wants to rip up the tracks from Kenco to the Ashokan Reservoir.  This removal of the railroad tracks in favor of another hiking trails would snuff our the above dream and economic development boom for Kingston.