Kingston Mayoral Candidates - Tell us what you will push hard for !!!

We need specific proposals from our City of Kingston mayoral candidates.  For the next mayor, we want to hear specific game-changing things that you are going to push and fight for.  For example, we taxpayers desparately need 1) annual city-wide property assessments. Most of us are stuck at the pre-housing bubble 2006 assessments. This causes Kingston residents to pay unfair county, school taxes. 2) pay-freeze, no-step increase, 25% health contribution contracts, no manning clauses. 3) heavy volunteerism, much less union control of city.  4) Get rid of the Ulster County rule that the City of Kingston has to pay safety net welfare charges by threatening to keep all of the city sales tax from the county. Now is the time to negotiate with the county, since the 1% county sales tax add-on is up for renewal in the assembly.  Unless you candidates are talking specific proposals that you want to push, it sounds like a high school student council election, ie. popularity.  To my fellow taxpayers and bloggers, please post on this blog other City of Kingston initiatives that we can PUSH for together.

Does Cuomo have press conferences or Talk Radio appearances?

I have an important question.  Does Andrew Cuomo have or plan any press conferences or Talk Radio appearances where citizens can ask him questions?  So far, his appearances are scripted.  I want to ask him a simple question.  Andrew, do you support moving the election day for our local school boards from May to November to allow more citizens to participate and to allow for a more equitable election that is not skewed by low general citizen turn out and heavy teacher and teacher family turnout.

ALDERMANIC BULLETIN -- Get to work on the 2011 Contracts, delay term limits

Why are Kingston's Aldermen and Women working on secondary issues such as term limits when we taxpayers want to hear from them about their plans and positions on the PAY FREEZE, NO MANNING CLAUSE, PAY 25% OF HEALTH BENEFITS, NO STEP INCREASES contract negotiations coming up this year.  To my fellow Kingstonians, lets shine a light on the current aldermanic positions on these important contracts that will determine whether Kingston will be a viable place to live and work or whether it will continue to fail.

NO STEP INCREASES, FREEZE WAGES IN NEW CONTRACTS

To all Ulster County School Districts and Towns and Cities:

Please do the following.

1) NO STEP INCREASES (There is NO mandate for these.)

2) FREEZE WAGES IN NEW CONTRACTS. (There is NO mandate for percent increases.)

Kingston Mayor Sottile not running for re-election in 2011 - Interview Candidates

The key words for the City of Kingston are "Pay Freeze".  My fellow Kingston taxpayers, let's start asking the potential candidates (Clement Hayes, Rich Cahill, Andi Turco-Levin, Bill Reynolds, Shayne Gallo and others) how they feel about Pay Freezes written into the 3 upcoming 2011 contracts for DPW, Fire and Police.  Please let's post their replies on this blog.

Saugerties Schools Teacher's Contract Negotiation

The key words are Pay Freeze.  That means 2 things.  1)  Zero Percent pay increase 2) Elimination of Step Increases (note-- Local school boards are free to eliminate step increases.) If ever there was an opportunity to get rid of the obnoxious and unfair Step Increases for longevity and coursework, it is NOW.

What if NYS cities and towns band together for Municipal Bankruptcy

What if Kingston and about 20 other NY State cities, towns, and school districts banned together to request Municipal Bankruptcy? Do you think the unions and elected state officials would take notice then? In other words, all the municipalities and school districts are now held hostage by NYS teacher and municipal unions. We could ban together to break this stranglehold that the unions have on the NYS taxpayers. Mark my word, it will come to that. We cannot go on like we are. The taxpayer suffering with unfunded pensions and unbridled pay increases will escalate. Face reality and take action, since the current union contract conditions point to a very bleak future for our children and grandchildren.