Quality of Life is Kingston's secondary goal. Lower Taxes are primary.

Quality of Life is a secondary goal.  Kingston's and Shayne Gallo's primary goal is to negotiate very lean union contracts which will allow substantial property tax decreases over the next 3 years.  Without property tax decreases, the business and residential property tax rates will both continue to chase businesses and residents out of Kingston.  Since IBM left Kingston 16 years ago, nothing has been done to structurally fix the union contracts to match Kingston's 2012 population which is much less affluent.  We will reserve judgement on Shayne Gallo's progress when the first union contract terms are made public.  In many ways, Kingston's taxpayers should be clamoring for affordable union contracts and lower property taxes instead of being distracted by "quality of life".  The demographics of Kingston's population is eroding.  Time is running out for Kingston.

Open Post to Tony Adamis - Kingston Freeman Editor

Thanks for shining light on the facts about the unsustainable contracts and pensions that the local taxpayers are paying for. We the taxpayers would like more light shined on the secret talks between the unions and City of Kingston and with the Kingston School District. I know you have unsuccessfully tried to get into the negotiations so you can report back to we taxpayers what is being discussed about contracts with unaffordable giveaways before it is too late. It is too late after the first draft of the contract is agreed to and reported to the public. Let's be honest. This secret negotiation nonsense is just a ploy to promote politicians and union leaders at the expense of taxpayers. This is why NY State is last in growth and economic development. Can you suggest what we taxpayers can do to force the contract negotiation process to be opened up to newspaper reporters so you can tell us what is going on? "

Helpless in Kingston

Parents and taxpayers have the deck stacked heavily against them.  It is difficult to get just one conservative elected to the Kingston School Board, much less a majority of 5 needed to change anything.  Look how public opinion on reducing health benefits, eliminating step raises, and keeping Meagher School open, moving 9th Grade to the Middle Schools to allow neighborhood elementary schools to stay open, etc. are all IGNORED by the Kingston School Board and administration.  We parents and taxpayers feel HELPLESS IN KINGSTON AND IN NY.  Bottom-line, we need NY State legislature to promote school choice and competition by giving parents school vouchers to all parents to send their kids to any public, private, parochial school.  That is how you involve parents.  Give them a voucher and let them study and select a school for their children, just like parents and children select colleges.

Luxury Housing Poughkeepsie Waterfront versus Kingston Waterfront

Why is housing and building on the Poughkeepsie waterfront going "gangbusters", but the Thomas Perna Hudson Landing Riverfront project on the Hudson River in Kingston is delayed for at least a year!  Notice that the Poughkeepsie building projects rarely get bogged down with lengthy delays from Scenic Hudson types.  Remember the long debates and delays from Scenic Hudson and the complaints about possible "View" problems for the residents of the other side of the river.  Kingston and Ulster County taxpayers are losing out again in the housing and economic development wars.  Someone at Hudson Landing should explain why their project is delayed another year while Poughkeepsie continues to build and dominate the upscale housing market.