What’s next, some say, street paving, laying off cops or firefighters? What kind of town is this becoming? Out in the country, folks are saying, what’s the big deal?
Sottile insists his hands are tied by the state’s imposing a 2 percent limit on property tax hikes for next year. Garbage collection alone, which the mayor figures costs between $700,000 and $800,000 a year, would eat up the tax cap.
There’s another way to look at the equation. There are about 8,800 residences and businesses in the city. Would owners be willing to pay another $100 a year for garbage collection? One way or another, they’ll pay.
There may be an upside to all this. Hardworking DPW trash collectors, freed from the worst job in town, could be utilized to perform myriad other public-works tasks.
In the meantime, the lame-duck mayor has a fallback, or fall guy, depending on one’s point of view. State law allows for a supermajority (a majority plus one) of the Common Council (or legislature) to override the 2 percent cap. With five aldermen duckwalking out the door with Hizzoner, city residents might be in the market for pickup trucks.
Golden opportunity
Push may finally be coming to shove over the county legislature’s overly studied and too-long-delayed decision about the future of the county infirmary at Golden Hill. A self-interested Kingston delegation of legislators, led by Minority Leader Jeanette Provenzano, is pushing for a vote on continued county control at next week’s regular meeting. Provenzano says she has 16 votes. She needs 17, which would send the resolution to an uncertain fate in the county exec’s office.
Study committee Chairman Walter Frey of Saugerties pushed back by vowing his committee will “make a recommendation” by the Oct. 18 meeting of the legislature. The committee voted 5-2 this week against Provenzano’s resolution that the county retains control of the facility. Frey counters that a vote in September without financial impacts yet firmly established would be premature.
But not October?
And what effect will Frey’s trouncing in the Republican primary for legislature against pro-Golden Hill Bob Aiello have on the chairman’s mindset?
Here and there
Jo-Jo the dog, erstwhile “candidate” for Woodstock town supervisor, was banned from last week’s Democratic Party-sponsored meet-the-candidates night. Jo-Jo is not a registered Democrat, and only Democrats were allowed to speak. No problem, sniffed the hound’s handlers. The ever-articulate Jo-Jo will continue to bombard local publications with letters to the editor.
