Mayor Sottile intends to propose that trash pickup be eliminated from the city budget next year. This is perhaps the ultimate slap in the face to city residents.
Sottile claims that the city can no longer afford this service, but intends to keep the City Economic Development Office even though we have thrown over one million dollars down that hole over the last four years. Thus, under the Sottile plan, we will see our taxes increase, plus we will apparently have to shell out more money for private trash pickup.
I pledge publicly that this will never happen under my watch. I have already proposed a plan to get rid of the 2 Assistant Superintendents and use the money to hire three additional laborers (re-hire actually as so many were laid off). This will allow DPW to pick up trash more efficiently.
We cannot afford to have a rookie in the Mayor's Office. We need someone with a real plan to combat this latest "idea" from Mayor Sottile. With all due respect to my Republican opponents, none have put forward a plan of any kind to deal with this type of emergency. I am the only one of the Republicans ready to deal with this on day one.
A loss of this kind of service is not something to be trusted to someone seeking the Mayor's office without a plan or strategy. I have a plan and will reverse the budget decision if the Common Council allows this to happen either willingly or by a refusal to override a Mayoral veto.
Can you imagine what will happen if Mayor Sottile gets his way? People who cannot afford private trash pickup will have to dump it somewhere, likely on the streets. Kingston looks bad now. Can you imagine how bad it might look with this plan in place?
Again, I pledge to the people of Kingston that I will not let this happen. I have a plan to reform DPW and give it the manpower necessary to do this job without adding to the budget. I will keep trash pickup as part of the city's services for Kingstonians. With the amount of taxes we pay, this is the least we are owed.
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14 comments:
Rich you should review all the over time worked in all departments,I doubt it is all necessary.The take home vehicles aren't necessary either,pay mileage to those who use their vehicle to respond to work in an emergency.Gas prices are "TO DAMN HIGH!"
This is another dumb plan by the Sottile administration. Trash will pile up in our streets and Kingston will look like a dump.
Under this plan my taxes still go up and I incur another $500.00 bill.
Someone needs to stop this madman befor its too late. The council continues to rubber stamp everything he does.
Good luck next week Rich, we need your leadership.
Why not stop paying full family health insurance for City employees, reduce pay 5% for all employees making over $ 50,000 year, reduce fireman manning clause Sottile raised 4 years ago while they worked on his re-election campaign, farm out assessor's office to Town of Ulster, give up the unnecessary take home vehicles - he doesn't even try and I wouldn't expect much more from any candidate I have heard so far.
there is no doubt that mayor see ya later sotile will leave a huge mess behind in his wake
Everyone needs to calm down and think.... if the council doesnt keep it in THIER budget, then it wont happen! Just because the looney Mayor wants to stop trash pckup doesnt mean it is going to happen! The legal fees paid to outside attornies and some of the consultants, especially ones that have been on for years, must go. We no longer can afford to do business as usual. As far as the union contracts go, the fire dept must give back a little. There is no way around it. The Dpw and Rec and city hall people are all under a different contract than fire and police. they are the the least paid employees in the city and thier health benefits are vital to them, so very doubtful that there will be any changes there. The membership will not agree to do so ,and who can blame them.
Regarding the overtime, that is a different matter. Some employees, not all,pad up thier salaries unfairly. If you look at the higher paid employees like the assisstant superintendant Ed Boyle, you will see an astronomical amount of overtime being worked unnecesarily. Same goes with the treatment plant Senior plant operators, especially the mayor's neighbor Allan Winchell. You will see close to 20,ooo dollars of overtime being worked by these two guys, which is absolutely redicules! That has to be corrected.
Excuse me, but this is not an emergency and where have you been when Finance is approving bonding for trash receptacles for YOUR neighborhood as a test area first for recycling? The real kicker is they intend to spend more money for yet more receptacles to increase the wards in the pilot program. Another $200,000. Now we learn there will be no trash pickup throughout the City if the mayor has his way. I can see where this is going. He's going out with a black eye and does not care who he hurts on his way out the door. Someone please kick him out now before he does more destruction. See you at the next Finance meeting.
All have to go on Common Council except Noble. Really, no one in their right mind should re-elect any of them. They are an embarassment. They are using the City as a candy store.
2:14, Noble is no good either! He has been Sottile's right hand man, albeit skulking in the shadows but never the less there. He too needs to go! The whole democratic council has made a mess of things for years by enabling this guy masquarading as a mayor. Speaking of Noble, why the heck do we need TWO environmental educators who happen to be named...Noble.
3 of 5 people on the council that has failed us are running for mayor.
Voters need to think about thier failures in November, and Rich you need to make the masses aware of this.
Why are you not screaming this from the roof tops?
Also the 4 candidate is the mayors advisor, I think that should have people scratching thier heads about pullin a lever for him
Rich is a nice way its time to show the people why none of the candidates are viable!
rich, what is your alternative in the long run? We do need some sort of economic development office for a city of this size. I am not saying that I don't agree with you but rather we do need some sort of economic development person. Also, what are your thoughts to reducing police and fire department personnel??
9:21,
I do not think we do need such an office. If I am mistaken, we can always avail ourselves of the county office though.
More fraud - emergency bonding for Kings Inn demolition was to happen Yesterday - nothing done.
Rich,you were a great alderman,and I know you will be an even better Mayor. I pray you get in there,so this city can get cleaned up of all the back-biting,stealing,and all other corruption. GOOD LUCK!
I don't get Sottile's logic. If all residents bring their trash to transfer station - won't tipping fees be the same?
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