Zephyr Teachout, former Democratic primary candidate for governor, drew rather smaller crowds at recent local appearances for her new book than on the stump. One wonders in retrospect whether her campaign was designed to promote the book.
The Kingston area chamber of commerce will sponsor what amounts to a legislative cattle call in hosting upwards of eight candidates for state legislature from Ulster’s four Assembly districts next Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 7:45 a.m. at the Garden Lounge off Washington Avenue. With eight or more candidates squeezed into a half-hour format, only snapshots will be provided. But at least we’ll be able to see some of these rare birds in the flesh.
The very active Lloyd Republican Committee and state Senate candidate George Amedore invite the public to a “pig-nic” (pig roast) on Sunday at St. Augustine School in the hamlet from 1 to 4. While swine fairly represents Albany’s voracious appetite for our tax money, for Republicans, a donkey roast would have made a stronger political statement.
Ulster Town Supervisor Jim Quigley says he won’t be taking a survey trip to the Niagara bottling company headquarters in Columbus, Ohio until Kingston makes a final decision on selling water to the company. Smart move on the supe’s part, but why go all the way to Ohio? There’s plenty of water at Niagara Falls.
On another Quigley note, the supervisor may be sending a signal to unions, with whom he’s negotiating new contracts, by cutting his salary in next year’s proposed town budget from $48,000 to $44,000 a year. Quigley knows unions won’t accept a cut, but hopes they won’t be greedy. Between 1.5 and 2 percent a year seems the norm these days for government workers fortunate to have a job, and are figures many of us in the private sector can only dream about.
Eldridge has turned out to be a terrible candidate. Gibson will wipe him out on Election Day – the landslide is coming.