There have been a lot of comments and polls on various blogs about candidates for Mayor. Certainly, this is fair commentary for a blog. I would like instead to focus for a while on the issues facing Kingston as opposed to the personalities.
So, I am opening this thread to one question. What are the most important issues in Kingston right now?
Please comment on the important issues facing Kingston. If possible, offer some solutions or suggestions. I will start.
One of the problems facing Kingston is the amount of city spending. I suggest the next Mayor order a complete audit of personnel, budgets, and equipment. Any positions that are duplicative or unnecessary should be downsized or eliminated. All spending that is not absolutely necessary must be suspended. Some could be reconsidered when the economy improves. For now, we have to realize that the economy is poor shape requiring drastic measures.
There are numerous other problems and just as many suggestions and solutions. Let's heara few.
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6 comments:
Jobs,jobs,jobs....has been and will be till we get some.
Please verify,if it is true. A friend told me of the 23k residents in the city. 12,000 are on some form of entitlement..i.e.
SS,SSI,SSD,etc...Is this true and if not what are the numbers, please?
Rich, eliminating positions that are duplicate is the smart way to go to improve fiscal responsibility. Consultants on payroll need to be eliminated as well and only called in when actually needed TEMPORARILY, not permanently. Dpw boss Mike Schupp has two assistants in the field with less than 60 people to oversee and less responsibilities than former Dpw bosses Gorsline and Hogan. Hogan had 100 men and much more responsibility years ago and he only had ONE assistant superintendent. What, does Schupp need someone to hold his hand? Sorry, it cost too much for us to keep all his "support" staff so he can feel safe. Oh, and he also makes more money than his predesessors and again, he has LESS responsibilities.
Kingston Politics has been mostly popularity-based, especially the aldermanic and Ulster legislative races. For me, the biggest issue is finding out where aldermanic and legislative candidates stand on issues. Rich, after your blog readers chime in, can we come up with 4 or 5 city issues on which we can poll and document all 2011 aldermanic, legislative and mayoral candidates? These 5 issues need to be specific, such as No tax or fee increases for 3 years, annual property tax assessment updates as promised previously, 10 per cent reduction in police, fire, dpw, city hall budgets. Please help to come up with 5 issues and to conduct this poll for the education and benefit of Kingston taxpayers and voters.
6:51 Schupp has 2 assitants, 2 senior plant operators, and 5 foremen to oversee 60 guys? Schupp is always complaining he doesn't have enough manpower. Sounds like he has too many chiefs and not enough indians.
Schupp never has any ideas that make sense he just keeps cutting services and the council keeps cutting his labor force.
Higher taxes and less service is the legacy of the council.
Clean Safe and Affordable.
If 8:43 is correct, than Kingston is doomed unless that can be reversed. It is not sustainable for the few to subsidize the non working population. If you walk or drive thru the city you can see how the people behave, dress and act. Leads one to think that perhaps there is a poor population taking over the city. This is not said in an elitist frame of mind but one has to realize that this City cannot continue to be a mecca for the poor or for people who are on some form of government benefits. I would like to see more mixed housing for the elderly. By that I mean to combine them in housing with young families of middle income not just for seniors only. For too long the middle class has been ignored in affordable housing. They struggle too even though they are working.
Bringing in low paying jobs is not the way to further this city's future. Unfortunately, the economy will make that job hard for you or whoever is elected.
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