At its regular session June 18, the county legislature passed a home rule bill (20-0) asking the state Senate and Assembly to extend the 1 percent tax supplement, with no conditions attached. The legislation referenced bills submitted by Assemblyman Frank Skartados of Milton and state Sen. Bill Larkin, with no mention of three bills Cahill had submitted on the same subject which he said would have taken effect in 18 months.
State legislature hasn’t acted
Cahill said the request arrived too late to be considered by the legislature, which adjourned on June 21. The Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee refused to consider any of the bills, killing the legislation for this session. Cahill said he did not attempt to influence the Assembly’s Finance Committee.
Gerentine has invited principals to a special meeting of his committee for Thursday night at the county office building. Crannell and Hanson regularly attend Ways and Means meetings, Hein only rarely.
Cahill said he hadn’t decided whether to attend a meeting he figured would be heavily stacked against him. “I don’t like to bring a knife to a gunfight,” he said, “but then, there is the possibility of getting at Hein in the same room.”
Cahill did not make any predictions as to whether he and Hein would get together to resolve an issue with significant financial impact the county and its towns. “All I’m going to say is that I’ve made myself available to meet and negotiate, and I will continue to do so,” he said. Hein does not speak to Ulster Publishing.
Cahill held out the possibility of sales tax legislation being considered if a special session of the legislature is called later this year.
“As I always have, I stand ready to arrive at equitable solutions with appropriate representatives of the county in a civil manner to bring this issue to a resolution,” the assemblyman stated in a release put out Tuesday afternoon. “While it may grab them a headline, the scare tactics, [the] blame-shifting and name-calling engaged in by some are not what Ulster County residents deserve. My focus remains on fairness and accountability for the taxpayers.”
With additional reporting by Jesse J. Smith and Dan Barton
Cahill has been around long enough to be shown at least the respect of a engaging in negotiation. If Hein chooses not to negotiate,shame on him. I will never vote for Hein again, he has shown that he puts his own personal agenda above that of the citizens of Ulster County. Frankly, I think Hein is acting like a tool.
I, like Mr. Wilkinson, will no longer support nor cast my vote for Mr. Hein. He has crossed over several lines of inappropriate conduct – very much in the mold of our present Governor, who torpedoed the gubernatorial candidacy of a great man and public servant, Carl McCall.
Hein will deal with no one. Disgraceful. While he cheerleads on the radio for Mom, Dad, High School Prodigies, and Apple Pie, his focus and his work is primarily outside of Ulster County. Someone should appoint him to a post outside Ulster County, then. Pfff.