Ulster County - Let's bring in Larger Firms for Higher Wages

Today on KCR, talking with Ward Todd, I mentioned that the average wage for Ulster County residents is very low, about $13,000 less than Dutchess County residents.  I told Ward that we need to do more to attract medium to large companies to the county, using the SUNY Ulster College's Start Up NY designation at TechCity (former IBM site). I mentioned that we are emphasizing small business and tourism development almost exclusively.  This results in low average wages compared to Dutchess County.  We have very visible evidence of our low Ulster County wages........Look at the Hudson Valley Mall where one by one stores are closing at the mall.  The lack of Ulster County and City of Kingston having an aggressive plan for attracting medium to large companies to the area is hurting the lives of our residents, especially our young people looking for good-paying jobs for raising a family.  The Start Up NY program at SUNY Ulster-TechCity offers
10 years of no income taxes for companies moving from out of state.  Why don't our leaders aggressively use this Start Up NY designation to bring medium and large companies to the area?

On Air Suggestions to Mike Hein - Meet with CMRR & Use Trail Walk-Arounds

On Friday, Jan.23rd, Mike Hein and I discussed the Catskill Mt.Railroad. In the 4 short audio links below, I asked Mike to let Ward Todd broker a meeting with him and the Catskill Mt.Railroad. Also, I asked Mike why Trail Walk-arounds could not be used between the Hurley Flats and the Glenford Dike to accommodate the Trail, similar to the extensive Walk-around planned for the Trail between Kingston and the Hurley Flats. Why rip up the tracks between the Hurley Flats and Glenford when you don't have to?


To listen to 4 audio links, go to FACEBOOK and enter KCR or Kingston Community Radio.  Then,
Scroll Down to Ralph Mitchell January 26, 2015 posting.

County Executive Hein continues to harass the Catskill Mt.RR.

County Executive Hein continues to harass the Catskill Mt.RR.  He has "blinked" a little from our enthusiastic support for the RR.  He has agreed to the 2 mile run from Kingston Plaza to Hurley, but he wants to rip up the tracks from Hurley to Mt.Pleasant (ie.around the Ashokan Resevoir) for a trail.  The RR wants to continue to volunteer to referbish the 6 miles of track from Hurley to Glenford, which will allow Adult Dinner Rides and transportation for tourists from Kingston Plaza to the Ashokan Reservoir.  Tourists would park at Kingston Plaza, take the train to the Reservoir, and come back to Kingston Plaza to get their cars, to local hotels and restaurants and spend money in Kingston.

 

 

The fight goes on.  The following Freeman article describes the latest on Ulster County's court harassment of CMRR from County Legislator Dave Donaldson's point of view.

 

 

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20150121/legislator-says-ulster-county-is-trying-to-bleed-tourist-railroad-dry

Niagara Water Sale is Needed to Keep Kingston Water Rates from Going Up 32 percent

I urge city residents and Town of Ulster Water users to call Shayne Gallo, Mike Hein, Supervisor Quigley, your Alderman and tell them if the Niagara Water Sale deal fails and your water bills go up 32 percent, you are not going to be happy that the local politicians didn't fight to keep

Niagara Bottling here.  SEE THE FREEMAN LINK BELOW.


http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20141017/kingston-water-department-says-rising-rates-justification-for-niagara-bottling-plan

Mike Hein embraces the success of the Catskill Mt.Railroad Events

Due to the overwhelming success of Thomas the Train and Polar Express and due to the monetary benefits to Ulster County businesses from train riders, the county executive has committed to keeping the Kingston Plaza to Hurley Mt.Road tracks in place.  However, he currently wants to truncate the rails 5 miles short of the Glenford Dike at the edge of the Ashokan reservoir.  Railroaders at the Catskill Mt. RR say their volunteers can easily repair this 5 mile stretch.  They say that Glenford is the right stopping point for now, since the extra uphill 5 miles from the Hurly Mountain Road to Glenford gets people up the long hill to the trail and the great views at the flat plateau at the reservoir.  From Glenford to Mt.Pleasant, there are storm related washouts at Phoenicia and Cold Brook that will take county help to repair.  Presently, Catskill Mt. Railroad runs a second scenic 5 mile round trip from Mt.Tremper to Boiceville. 


There is no good rationale for not completing the railroad tracks to Glenford.  This extra 5 miles will allow the Catskill Mt.Railroad to run "Dinner Train Rides to the Reservoir"  year round, bringing in more money for the county and its businesses.  The extra 5 miles will also allow the transport of bikers and their bikes on the train from Kingston to Glenford.  People could take the train up the hill to the reservoir and bike the trail up there and then ride the bike down the hill back to Kingston where their cars are parked.  The key point is to encourage tourists to drive to Kingston, park at the Kingston Plaza, go to the reservoir trail, and then take the train, or bike or walk back to Kingston where their cars are parked.  Kingston has the amenities that tourists want and enjoy.  Let's bring in the tourists and money to Kingston to benefit our residents and businesses.

To Mike Hein - Polar Express Not Interested in Sites Away from Kingston

On the Kingston Plaza section of the tracks, I want to refute Mike Hein's statement that the wildly successful Thomas The Train & Polar Express events could be held at Mt.Tremper.  After showing event planners the sites away from Kingston, CMRR has documentation that they are not interested in the sites away from Kingston, because there are not enough businesses to cater to the event visitors. The event planners indicated that the Kingston Plaza railroad track location is ideal for these events. Train visitors get the added benefit of visiting "Historic Kingston" with all its unique amenities. Please join us in concluding that we should Keep the Kingston Plaza railroad tracks in place so our local businesses can continue to thrive from the CMRR events which are on track of drawing 30,000 visitors per year to the Kingston Plaza railroad tracks.

WGHQ - KCR - Pushing Back on Hein's Plan to Rip up Kingston Plaza RR Tracks

This morning, I talked with Mike Hein about how I disagreed with his plan to rip up the Kingston Plaza railroad tracks.  I mentioned 2 points. 1)  The City of Kingston residents and businesses will definitely be hurt by Hein's plan to rip up the Plaza tracks and end the Thomas the Train, Peanuts and the Pumpkin rides and the Polar Express events and 2) the many visitors from out of town and in town to the Plaza train events may include business leaders who begin to like the Kingston area and the train and may want to move a business with jobs to Kingston.  However, they will hear local news and people talk about how local leaders, Mike Hein and Shayne Gallo want to rip up the Kingston Plaza tracks and effectively end the fantastic train events, such as Polar Express.  Why would businesses want to locate here when they find out that Mike Hein and Shayne Gallo are making plans that will Hurt City of Kingston businesses and residents?  Let's tell Mike Hein and Shayne Gallo that we want to keep our railroad tracks at the Kingston Plaza.