TechCity.........Its About Time!

Without detailing the finer points of the site plan for TechCity, (its available), it is a pleasure to note the vision of Town Supervisor, Jim Quigley.

It took Nick Woerner 4 years of foot dragging, empty promises and the 'hope of government grants', (The Hinchey Connection), to go nowhere, while Only 6 months into his term as Supervisor, Quigley has put forth a nuts and bolts plan that actually has the potential of bringing our town into the 21st Century.

Even property owner Alan Ginsberg is on board with the proposal which might finally force IBM to expend some of the $27 million fund and clean up the toxic waste so long holding up any development.

Residents of the Town are reaping the rewards of their November 2009 decision to replace incompetence with efficiency. It is a shame that 4 years of a good economic landscape were lost in the hands of Mr. Woerner and while the economy might not be ripe for economic development, by the time the legal challenges are met and the site plan approved investment capital may once again be readily available.

Does any know what has become of Andy Zweben and Steve Aaron?

 

Can You Imagine.........

After reading the article in this weeks Freeman regarding CSEA demanding and ultimately suing the City of Kingston for wages of 14 union employees who had been laid off due to 2010 budget cuts, reality sank in.

The unmitigated gall of union officials dictating how a municipality functions and meets the demands of tough economic times is appalling. The idea of paying 14 men whose jobs had been cut because of budget demands for lost wages because the work was done by convicts and volunteers, (unpaid labor), is absurd.

Taxpayers cannot afford to pay a price so a union boss can look good to his members and they shouldn't have to. I'm not a big Sotile fan, in fact I think he is the most incompetent Mayor the City of Kingston has ever had, but the truth is he made a few tough but necessary decisions. OK, they may have been 'no brainers' but the fact is he made them. The next mayor will have to make even more.

Pension Funds will become a thing of the past, so will exorbitant benefit packages and Cadillac Health plans and town supervisors and city mayors will have no choice but to fight union bosses to protect the future of their residents and the life of their municipalities.

I'm sure strikes will be threatened and work slowdowns promoted but with unemployment lingering around 10% for years to come, any such action would be self-destructive for the unions themselves.

The best way to protect the workers and residents alike is to revamp future contracts to reflect economic challenges and the reality of tough economic times.

I know Jim Quigley will no doubt have his battles with highway, sheriff and parks department employees and their union bosses, the truth is if the town goes broke, more and more jobs will have to be cut or lost, I hope these union leaders come to the table with a sense of reality rather than unrealistic expectations.