Noonan gets it RIGHT

Independent Ulster was very pleased to see Glenn Noonan front and center this morning making the effort to rid Ulster County of a Rockland County Sex Offender.

As reported in the Times Herald Record today, Noonan is leading the effort and boy is he right. Keep the perves out of Ulster. http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081231/NEWS/812310328

Noonan is also dead right that the County Legislature should propose legislation to prohibit out of county sex offenders from being put into Ulster County. Noonan’s sponsorship of such a law would be a great thing and we hope he moves on it quickly as it sounds like he is planning on doing.

We also hope that the Majority Democrats (we’re looking at you Susan Zimet) do not co-opt this into one of their own proposals as they are famous for doing.

We urge the legislators to move quickly to adopt Noonan’s proposal.

Noonan Blows It

photo credit: Clark Richters

Left: Jeremy Blaber ---------- Right: Glenn Noonan

NOONAN BLOWS IT:

"ALL I’LL NEED IS TWO DEMOCRATS TO SIDE WITH US,
AND THEN – GRIDLOCK.”

Independent Ulster was very disappointed to see Republican Legislative “leader” Glenn Noonan promise “gridlock” if two more Republicans are elected to the County Legislature. Noonan’s comments were printed in today’s Times Herald Record: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081227/NEWS/812270326/-1/NEWS

Independent Ulster hardly backed Mike Hein. Hein is everything that is wrong with politics in Ulster County: a party switching political insider owned lock, stock, and barrel by the good old boys. But look, the guy won and deserves a chance to be the County Executive he promised he could be – “leading the way” to a better Ulster County.

So far, the results are not promising – in fact another “p” word – pathetic comes to mind. Hein had formed a secret economic development task force, essentially repudiating the work of Ulster Tomorrow. That task force is led by an out of county resident and is meeting in secret.

Amateur mistakes by an amateur but Hein can only get better.

Noonan on the other hand is a seasoned politician and should know better than to promise “gridlock.” Ulster County has a lot of problems. Taxes are out of control, jobs are not being created, the county IDA is a complete joke and the far left has taken over the Democratic Party. BUT, gridlock is not needed.

Independent Ulster calls upon Noonan to work in a nonpartisan fashion to bring people the results taxpayers want: lower taxes, better jobs, and a government that serves the people not the special interests.

We hope Noonan was just caught up in the moment, because if he truly is seeking gridlock, his fellow GOP legislators need to replace him – now or they will not win the seats they are otherwise capable of winning.

Ulster County Should Sue Peter Kraft

OK, Legislator Peter Kraft has resigned at the end of this year. Who cares. The reality is if the County Legislature had any of those spherical objects that one bounces in the game of basketball, they would be suing Peter Kraft in Kingston Small Claims Court for his $10,000 County Legislature salary for 2008 (or for the last 6 – 8 months he hasn’t been around). We don’t know if he gets health insurance, but add the value of that to the lawsuit.

It is NOT ok that government officials get elected to a term of office, don’t bother showing up, but continue to take our hard earned dollars.

Where is Josh Koplovitz, the erstwhile County Attorney? How come David Donaldson or Michael Hein have not demanded that Mr. Koplovitz seek to recover the money paid to Kraft in salary and benefits that he has not earned by his prolonged absence.

Once again, taxpayers get fleeced and our government officials do nothing. By the way, and not for nothing, where are the Republican minority members? Come on folks, we know Mr. Kraft is one of your own – that special part of the insiders club that is the County Legislature, but if a Republican walked away months ago, you can bet the Democrats, who are much better politicians than the GOP, would have the political brain power to be calling for his immediate resignation . . . and if that did not work trying to recover the salary wrongfully paid to him.

Independent Ulster has hired people before. You wouldn’t pay an employee not to show up, so why should we the people pay a public official not to show up. One more taxpayer outrage in Ulster County.

PS - INDEPENDENT ULSTER PROPOSES THAT MARCH GALLAGHER INVESTIGATE THIS . . . oh yeah, sorry, we forgot, she only investigates allegations of wrongdoing when it comes to Republicans, not her fellow Democrats.

What would Ulster County do?

What would Ulster County do if they found this sort of evidence?

According to Federal Prosceutor Patrick Fitzgerald, Governor Blagojevich had put a "for sale" sign on his administration.

“The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,” Patrick Fitzgerald said. Blagojevich “involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism.”

As I watch this story develop, I can't help but ask myself, what would we do in Ulster County if we found this sort of evidence? It's never convenient to investigate and proscute politicians or government employees, particularly when the ones doing the investigating and prosceuting are politicians themselves.

Do our leaders in this County and State possess the fortitude necessary to deal with a problem like this if it confronted them. In my opinion, no, they don't.

Consider the "evidence" that Fitzgerald must have had to trigger this investigation. In the beginning it is usually word of mouth. You have to be able to put politics aside and purse the investigation. I believe that it's easier to overlook issues such as this, rather than investigate and confront issues.

I give Patrick Fitzgerald kudos for putting politics aside and prosceuting both Republicans and Democrats. There are bad guys on both sides - EVERYWHERE.

I wish Mr. Fitzgerald would come to New York State, I think we could keep him busy for a while.

Devastating and Severe Budget Cuts

Our Ulster County budget has been released.

$346 million budgeted for next year, along with a 2.7 percent tax levy increase.

Governor Paterson's budget for New York State that is getting ready to be released was described in broad terms as "devastating" and "severe" to state services.

How is it that our County finds it OK to increase our taxes and not change the way we do business now, when we know what is coming down the road?

Governor Paterson knows that we need to make some cuts.

Where are the the "devastating" and "severe" cuts in Ulster County?

It's time to change. Isn't that what we voted for with the charter?

So far it looks like more of the same old same to me.

Quigley Loses - Catalano Failed

Independent voters looking for the return of the two party system in Ulster County counted on Mario Catalano to get the job done for us this year.

He failed.

Ok, Hinchey was not a viable target and realistically, the guy does a pretty darn good job as Congressman. Like him or hate him, Maurice Hinchey lets you know where he stands and you’ve got to appreciate that.

Bonacic and Larkin – ok, no problem, both swept without Catalano doing anything (were they even opposed???).

We had four local races where Catalano failed miserably.

Tom Kirwan – lost.

Robin Yess – she was certainly not the favorite, but she got CREAMED. It wasn’t even close. After Catalano convinced the powers that be to give her the Independence line over our home picked candidate of Kevin Cahill, he did nothing to raise money to get her any traction. Yess apparently angered many people and was not a good team player. As a result, she lost the support of the Assembly Republicans in Albany, and the money people she needed here to knock off Cahill – an Assemblyman with a lousy record.

Len Bernardo – he was also not the favorite but he had the money, so the GOP sucked him in and in fairness he was a respectable candidate. Obviously Bernardo was too independent from the powers that be and they never fully embraced him as the GOP nominee. Moreover, some of the party insiders were making side deals with Hein in an all too obvious manner. Bernardo, a complete neophyte bought his way to 43% of the vote by putting in real money and also by putting up a real hustle - all while Catalano did nothing to help and some of the good old boys and girls (Nina, we remember you), supported Hein.

Jim Quigley – Quigley’s loss is the saddest of all. Here is a guy who is much more qualified, much more capable, and someone who would be completely independent of any special interests (Bernardo and Yess would have been too we believe). Catalano held Quigley’s hand, Bernardo delivered the Independence line by pushing Dietrich Werner (the TRUE leader of the Ulster County Independence Party) to give him the line (only to have Bernardo’s handlers dump Werner in an incredible act of treachery which should have taught Bernardo what he was dealing with); and still Quigley could not pull through. All the unions, all the endorsements, all the special interests hustling for Jim Quigley, all the money he burned, and no victory. Appalling.

We hear that the GOP was united going into this thing. A big pow wow in Kingston led to Bernardo, Quigley, and Yess all signing on with the same campaign team, but then Dr. Doom – a/k/a Mario Catalano got involved and blew up the whole “running as a team” thing.

All of a sudden Bernardo was doing his thing, Quigley was doing his thing, and Yess was doing her thing (or should I say no-thing). Catalano, he was up in Greene County drilling teeth while Bernardo and Quigley were turning on each other, and Robin Yess was sitting by her pool.

These three losses are an embarrassment to candidates that collectively spent more than $1/2 million. We hear that the powers that be have lost all faith in Catalano and are now angling to put in someone who will actually go out and campaign, not lecture in a condescending way how to win campaigns.

The disunity wrought by Catalano by a team of people who 2 of them had a pretty good shot speaks volumes to his leadership capacity. A new Ulster County Republican Chairman is needed – now.

Happy Thanksgiving

I'll be back after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with my analysis of the election.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family

Bernardo and Quigley, they'll be "A Good Thing" for Ulster

My picks for Executive and Comptroller are Bernardo and Quigley.

We need change in Ulster County. Neither of these men has been an elected or appointed official in our County Government before. Like Martha Stewart says, "That's A Good Thing".

The dysfunction in Ulster County government and political cronyism (partiality to long-standing friends, especially by appointing them to positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications) has got to stop.

I believe that it will stop by electing Mr. Bernardo and Mr. Quigley.

I am not happy with how our County Government is currently being run. Electing Mr. Hein will be more of the same. While Mr. Auerbach seems like a nice guy, Mr. Quigley's credentials are what I think Ulster County needs: a professional and certified Auditor.

When we voted for the Charter, we voted for change. We now need to back it up with the real candidates of change: Bernardo and Quigley.

20 million? Grow a pair and cut something

Twenty million dollars. That's a lot of money. Divided among all of the taxpayers in Ulster County, it turns about to be about a 3% increase to our taxes.

Now our politicians would have us believe that 3% is a reasonable, modest increase. Now you can do the math, if a $20 million increase gives us a 3% increase, IMAGE how much spending money was added to our budget when our taxes went up by 39%, then by 8% then by 7% - and now by 3%.

I am sick and tired of excuses from our elected officials as to why they can't stop spending money. I control my expenses in my household. When the price of gas and home heating oil goes up, I have to reduce another expense somewhere else in my household because I -- unlike the politicans spending OUR money -- I am on a fixed income.

We keep hearing.... but the jail..... the jail.... the jail... the jail.....
I thought the 39% PERMANENT tax increase kept in place once levied on us was supposed to take care of that.... now we keep having to go back to it?

OK, the jail has to be to Ulster County elected official what gasoline for our cars and home heating oil is to every day people. If it is such a burden - cut SOMETHING else.

Grow a pair and cut something. I don't have any other choice but to cut something else because my income is fixed.

Where's the beef..... I mean 2008 Budget?

It is now October 9. On October 1..... over a week ago..... I posted that Orange County's budget was already in the hands of the Orange County Legislators. When are the Ulster County Legislators going to get our budget?

Is this a delay tactic because it is an election year? Maybe I'm misinformed, maybe Ulster County is on some sort of different fiscal calendar than the counties that surround us.

I have heard that the Supervisor in the Town of Ulster has presented his budget and I think the Mayor of Kingston has as well. Where is Administrator Hein's budget? We have known since last year when the budget should be done. Proper planning would have ensured that the budget was completed in a timely manner and that no extensions be necessary.

It is time to present the Ulster County taxpayers their budget.

And, we do not want a tax increase, and we do not want our general savings fund robbed either.

Sorry, but Common Sense got me hooked on this topic, and I can't get off it.

Mike Hein, LATE AGIN, CAN'T GET THE JOB DONE

When I started this blog and started watching County Politics, I didn't have a "favorite team", but I'm quickly becoming un- impressed by candidate Mike Hein.

Just 3 days again, I called for Mike Hein to stop spending so much time campaigning and trying to smear his opponent and demanded that he get this years budget into the hands of our Ulster County Legislators. This is important taxpayer business that needs to be attended to and will affect everyone who lives in Ulster County.

Apparently, in addition to not being able to do the people's work for which he is paid to do by the taxpayers of Ulster County, he is also not able to do his own campaign work that is required by the NYS Board of Elections.

Yesterday, Friday, October 3, campaign financial disclosures were required to be filed by candidates. Mike Hein's are still not posted as of today. Need proof? I saved you the time of going to the Board of Elections website and took a screen shot for you, next to my calendar page.

If Mr. Hein had filed, you would see the 32 day pre general election report. It's not there.

Mike Hein has already requested the Legislators to let him be late with our County Budget. He is paid...... every week by the way...... with our taxpayer dollars in his appointed position as County Administrator to do this.

Imagine if you had a job where you were paid to get something done (like a budget), and you spent all your time running a political campaign and couldn't finish your work at your regular job. Your boss would fire you.

Mr. Hein needs to stop the campaigning (like just last night) and the smearing his opponent until he gets his work done, that he is paid to do by the Ulster County Taxpayers.

We need to see our Ulster County Budget AND his financial disclosures.

A friend of mine told me that last night, instead of staying at home and working on both of these, that Mike Hein was out schmoozing with his Kingston good-ole-boy friends at the Ulster County Community College Gala at the Hillside. Does this guy want to work and serve the taxpayers of Ulster County, or does he want to party with the good-old-boys?

Ulster Common Sense Has it Right!

UlsterCommonSense.blogspot.com could not have said it better when he warned the politicians that we are watching how much they increase our taxes this year. Simply put, he said that if taxes increase more than his pay increases at work, he is not voting for anyone that had anything to do with it. That includes, legislators, supervisors, town council people, etc.

I could not agree more. We also need to let our politicans know that we can not be fooled by them stealing our Town, Village or County's savings to make it appear that they are not "increasing taxes". Those savings are there for a reason, and it's not to pay for the day to day operations of government.

We can not afford to increase taxes at a percentage rate higher than our pay increases any longer.

Thanks Ulster Common Sense for bringing some Common Sense to the blog-o-sphere!

Orange County versus Ulster County

Ed Diana, Orange County Executive

Orange County's budget is more than twice as much as Ulster County's.

The Orange County budget is already in the hands of their Legislators.

Why don't Ulster County's Legislators have their budget in hand yet? In my opinion it's because our Administrator, Mike Hein, is too busy worrying about campaigning and trying to smear his opponent. We should be trying to help our local small businesses during these tough economic times, not accusing them of lying because they are not meeting "job creation" goals. This is not the time to be pushing more employees on struggling employers. It's time to bring other businesses to our County so that our residents can get good jobs to have a little spending money.

Can we get our finances in order, and get our budget done on time.... please?

And, we would like no property tax hike too.

Orange executive proposes 2009 budget with no property tax hike

Mid-Hudson News Network

GOSHEN - Orange County Executive Edward Diana has proposed a 2009 county budget that would not raise county property taxes.

The $674.5 million plan would authorize spending 3.76 percent more than the 2008 budget of $650 million.

Diana said, "We understand that the people of our county, state and nation are in the throes of serious economic uncertainty and every dollar is precious. We have seen our friends, neighbors and even members of our families struggling in this crisis. This government is committed to doing all in our power to lessen the burdens on our residents by controlling taxes and reducing spending."

To help offset the added expenses of the budget, Diana will seek to advance a county hotel/motel room tax, which he said would pull in an additional $2 million per year and not impact local residents.

The spending plan would also see 67 vacant positions eliminated.

"Thankfully, in past budgets we made preparations for these difficult times by maintaining reserve contingencies while adopting conservative budget practices," Diana said in his budget message. "Orange County will utilize a portion of our reserves to help balance this budget without burdening our taxpayers."

Early legislative reaction to the budget was favorable. Lawmakers will spend the next four weeks looking at the budget looking for ways to save money or shift it to be sure services are preserved.

Our next Vice President?

Yes, I know the picture was photoshopped... but it is pretty good!!

Ulster County Chamber of Commerce Debate

Today, I watched the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce debate online. It was sold out, and I couldn't be late for work anyway. For the Comptroller candidate, I thought that Elliott Auerbach was much more appealing than Jim Quigley. Mr. Auerbach was warm, well informed and humorous. Mr. Quigley seemed arrogant. I didn't understand at the end, he said something about donating his salary to charity. I guess that's nice, but his personality seemed too abrasive for me. For Executive, I thought that Len Bernardo was much more appealing than Mike Hein. I really liked it when Mr. Bernardo said that the taxpayers are not ATM machines. I also liked Mr. Bernardo's background. I think a businesman would be good. Mr. Hein just seemed angry and overly prepared and coached. Also, I don't think that Mr. Hein has the experience to move from Administrator to Executive. If he had impressive credentials, like Mr. Bernardo, I'm sure he would have brought them up. I think that Mr. Hein has reached his level of competenece and I don't want him to reach his level of incompetence (Peter Principle) by being elected Executive on my taxpayer dime.

I think that a Bernardo / Auerbach team would work well. They both seem like pleasant businessmen who would be able to get along well with our legislators.

The Independent Ulster Platform

I HAVE DECIDED TO BECOME A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE.

HERE IS MY PLATFORM:

(1) 'Press 1 for English' is immediately banned. English is the official language; speak it or wait at the border until you can.

(2) We will immediately go into a two year isolationist posture to straighten out the country's attitude. NO imports, no exports.
We will use the 'Wal-Mart 's policy, 'If we ain't got it, you don't need it.'

(3) When imports are allowed, there will be a 100% import tax on it.

(4) All retired military personnel will be required to man one of our many observation towers on the southern border. (six month tour) They will be under strict orders not to fire on SOUTHBOUND aliens.

(5) Social security will immediately return to its original state. If you didn't put nuttin in, you ain't gettin nuttin out. The president nor any other politician will not be able to touch it.

(6) Welfare - Checks will be handed out on Fridays at the end of the 40 hour school week and the successful completion of urinalysis and a passing grade.

(7) Professional Athletes --Steroids - The FIRST time you check positive you're banned for life.

(8) Crime - We will adopt the Turkish method, the first time you steal, you lose your right hand. There is no more life sentences. If convicted, you will be put to death by the same method you chose for your victim; gun, knife, strangulation, etc.

(9) One export will be allowed; Wheat, The world needs to eat. A bushel of wheat will be the exact price of a barrel of oil.

(10) All foreign aid using American taxpayer money will immediately cease, and the saved money will pay off the national debt and ultimately lower taxes. When disasters occur around the world, we'll ask the American people if they want to donate to a disaster fund , and each citizen can make the decision whether it's a worthy cause.

(11) The Pledge of Allegiance will be said every day at school and every day in Congress.

(12) The National Anthem will be played at all appropriate ceremonies, sporting events, outings, etc.

OBAMA V. NEW YORK

OBAMA V. NEW YORK

September 19, 2008 --

A good rule of thumb: Whenever a Democrat starts talking patriotism, reach for your wallet.

Case in point: Joe Biden.

The Democratic vice presidential nominee went into a flag-waving fury yesterday when asked how upper-income earners should react to his ticket's soak-the-rich tax plan.

"It's time to be patriotic," he said. "It's time to jump in; it's time to be part of the deal; it's time to get America out of the rut."

That's pure nonsense, of course - and not just because it comes from a pol who has "jumped in" by donating less than $400 a year (little more than one-tenth of one percent of his family income) to charity over the past decade.

After all, reasonable Americans can disagree about marginal tax rates without impugning each other's love of country.

Or, one wonders, will Americans be free to question the patriotism of President Barack Obama and Vice President Biden when their tax plan throws the country even deeper into economic crisis?

Sad to say, that's no idle speculation.

Just look at New York.

Obama's tax plan would impose new dividend and capital-gains taxes and repeal the Bush-era income-tax cuts on all Americans earning more than $250,000 a year. The local effect of those tax hikes is the subject of a study released this week by the Manhattan Institute's Empire Center.

It's not a pretty picture.

Obama's tax plan, the study found, would cost New Yorkers fully $16 billion a year - billions more than residents would get back through expanded tax credits.

It's not hard to see why. Obama's plan takes direct aim at Wall Street - the one section of the economy that can least afford it right now.

And the pain doesn't just fall on high-paid brokers (and the jobs they support), either. The dividend and capital-gains hikes are sure to send investment dollars fleeing into tax shelters, further choking the sputtering engines of finance.

Meanwhile, the study estimates, lost income from Obama's tax hikes would sap $1 billion a year from state tax coffers - and up to $285 million from the city.

Which means higher taxes for everyone.

What's so patriotic about that?

Obama and Biden, of course, are free to discuss their tax plan on its (dubious) merits.

But they'd do well to end the scolding game about its supposedly All-American virtue. It'd be offensive if it weren't so ridiculous.

No, wait: It's offensive anyway.

"Ulster County makes it happen......" NOT!

NOT!

Ulster County is NOT making things happen these days. When I went to school a 50% grade was a F. 50% meant failing. Apparently not anymore. Didn't we learn anything from the jail? What the heck are our Legislators doing? We had a panel that made some pretty intelligent recommendations, but we've only implemented 50% of them?

What is this guy Donaldson doing? Let's do everything that the panel recommended. This jail thing was a disaster with our money. Taxpayer deserve some results.

It's always the same old story in Ulster County with the same old same old politicians. We need new young blood in the Legislature. I hope that young people in this County will step up to the plate next year and run for the County Legislature. These old farts need to go.

Ulster County slow to make changes

Half of recommendations met

By Paul Brooks

Times Herald-Record

September 17, 2008 6:00 AM

KINGSTON — Ulster County has implemented about half of the recommendations two panels have made to prevent another runaway building project like the county jail.

The county jail, or Ulster County Law Enforcement Center, opened in February 2007, nearly three years late and $30 million over budget. The total cost, with interest, will hit $145 million when all is said and done.

The debacle triggered the county Legislature's first formal investigation. The special committee-issued report came out last September. A special grand jury spent six months after that investigating construction of the jail. In March, the grand jury indicted one former county official, Harvey Sleight. Monday, the public learned that County Judge J. Michael Bruhn had dismissed the sole charge — official misconduct — against Sleight.

The public also got its first look Monday at the grand jury's recommendations to prevent further massive construction problems.

Of 15 recommendations from the two panels, the county has taken steps on seven. Overall, County Legislature Chairman Dave Donaldson, a Kingston Democrat, said the county has adopted a capital projects policy, improved record keeping, started training on bidding regulations, and moved more departments to office space at the jail facility. It has shifted to line-item budgeting on capital projects and hired a person to review and manage all the county's contracts.

"Every calamity has a silver lining," Donaldson said. "Sometimes it just forces you to get more efficient."

But the county has not adopted some major recommendations.

The Legislative committee said voters should approve capital projects of $10 million or more. That has gone nowhere. "It would be awfully cumbersome," Donaldson said.

Rich Parete, an Accord Democrat, was on the Legislature committee. He supported the public vote. "Schools can do it. Fire departments can do it. Westchester County can do it," he said. "It has never even been discussed here."

The grand jury recommended an independent oversight authority to review projects, in addition to the new county comptroller. Donaldson opposed it. "Having a comptroller, isn't that the purpose of it?" he said.

Parete said all the recommendations need a review in light of the seven or eight new members on the Legislature. "We just got to roll up our sleeves and do them," he said.

pbrooks@th-record.com

County construction-change scorecard

DONE

New contract manager

Tighter procurement

Better record-keeping

Stronger construction policies

NOT DONE

No public vote on big projects

No independent oversight authority

No lower bidding threshold

No criminal justice analysis

Who's advertising?

Like it or not, we do live in an advertising driven society.

There is no better way to get a message to people than to speak to them on TV. I'm very surprised that the only political TV ads that I've seen so far have been from Len Bernardo. Mike Hein... nope. Elliott Auerbach, nope, Jim Quigley, nope Robin Yess, nope Kevin Cahill, nope.

As far as websites go, Len Bernado has a website and it seems to be updated regularly. Mike Hein has a website and it hasn't changed much. Elliott Auerbach has a website and it hasn't changed much either. I can't find a website for Jim Quigley. Robin Yess has a website that seems to be updated occasionally, and the only website I can find for Kevin Cahill is from the NYS Assembly. He doesn't seem to have a campaign website that would tell me where I could meet him or how to contribute to his campaign.

Campaign websites are important. If you want to donate to a campaign, this may be the only way for people to do so. If people want to meet candidates, this is a place where people look.
If there is not accurate and up to date information on a candidate's website, candidates may be losing opportunities to meet voters.

In a perfect world, every person would be able to personally meet every candidate. When people can't meet candidates, and they don't have any friends who know the candidates, and they aren't associated with a political party, they must rely on things like TV ads, websites, and radio ads.

I'm going to post links on my blog to each of the candidates websites.
If there is a website for Jim Quigley or a "campaign" website for Kevin Cahill, please let me know because I have been unable to find them.

I look forward to each of the candidates updating their websites. It's a real shame when the blogs have more up date information than the candidates themselves.

Push Polling, Big in Value, Little in Cost????

Someone in the Ulster County Democratic world must think that push polling is big in value and little in cost, because I think I was just push polled. I got a call tonight which started pretty benign. They asked me if I was aware that the Ulster County form of government was changing, then they asked me what I thought about candidates, who I liked for president, executive and comptroller. Then it turned weird, it was like an ad for Mike Hein, telling me about his wizardry and what a great guy he is. They then told me that Len Bernardo was a Republican and was part of the problem with the jail. Then some personal questions.

I found the whole experience to be intrusive and it reeeeked of dirty politics.

I'd like to know if anyone else got the same phone call and how you felt.

Kingston School Board, $40,000 for meetings?

I have read on other blogs that members of the Kingston School Board may have spent $40,000 on meetings at the Mohonk Mountain House this summer. These meetings could have been held in their school cafeteria and catered locally.

That's a lot of money. That's more than some people make in a year. That's money that could have been used for the children.

If this is true, it needs to be exposed and that's why I'm writing about it.

People need to stand up and shine the light on things. John Stossel from 20/20 is not going to come up here and do any investigative reporting. The local newpapers all rip and read from press releases, they don't do any actual investigative reporting.

School Boards are really only accountable to the people, and if people don't stand up and say THAT'S WRONG, they will continue to do whatever they want.

If I'm wrong about this, and this was just an internet rumor that I fell pray to, then as Emily Latilla would say on SNL.... nevermind

Please stand up and ask questions about this!

Welcome to My New Blog

Welcome to my blog born on 9-6-08. I'm a non enrolled voter in Ulster County. I'm pretty fed up with both parties and old politicians. I hope to be a neutral place free of partisan politics. I chose green for the color of the blog as an alternative to the blue Democrats and red Republicans.

I am for lowering our taxes, not by just eliminating waste in government, but also by increasing jobs in our area. I support any politicians who agree with that premise.

I have still not made up my mind who I am voting for in any of the elections, as I am sure a lot of other voters have not as well. This is a place for those voters.