* Former UC GOP Chair Robin Yess announced the formation of the Liberty Coalition, a PAC dedicated to electing candidates supporting Republican core principles. According to the group, Republican core principles means opposing continued county ownership of Golden Hill Health Care Center. Yess announced that the Liberty Coalition is supporting the following Ulster County Legislative Republican Primary candidates: In Saugerties, Walter Frey over Bob Aiello; in Rochester, Manuela Michailescu over Terry Bernardo; and, in Esopus, Laura Petit over Carl Belfiglio (Petit's Republican petitions were deemed invalid but she is appealing). Golden Hill supporters also formed a group to support pro-nursing home candidates. A rumor floating around political circles is that a countywide survey showed overwhelming support for keeping Golden Hill under county control.
* The Mighty Heiny once again trotted out Budget Director Art Smith to announce that the county is still facing a $25 million deficit. Some may question whether Hein is setting expectations low only later to miraculously produce a small tax increase. Political insiders, however, believe Hein may be in real trouble this time.
* Looks like the future of the Ulster County RRA is at a crisis point. Talk about terrible timing - the RRA is asking for a 16% county subsidy increase, The Legislature is putting all options on the table, including implementing flow control or creating a county solid waste department. In order to better impose its will on the agency, perhaps the Legislature should look at amending the state legislation governing the RRA to make the Legislature the agency's Board of Directors.
Hein has done quite a bit of hiring the past few months. That doesn't make sense for a county facing a twenty five million dollar budget shortfall.
ReplyDeleteGood catch 11:28. I went to the website for the Ulster County personnel department, here is the website, http://www.ulstercountyny.gov/personnel/jobtitles.html, and counted 60 positions hired or being hired since May.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't the legislature committee chair and the Chairman have to sign off on these jobs? So we a 25 million dollar shortfall and dumd and dumber running the show. Oh we the taxpayers are footing the bill
ReplyDeleteDear Ms. Yess...Ulster County has little interest in your tea party.
ReplyDeleteThe legislature has to confirm appointments such as those who fall under the county managers umbrella, but as far as the rank and file, I don't think the legislature needs to confirm those hires.
ReplyDeleteWhy is the state giving 1 million to struzzari and hinchey's project. Hits CEO got the congressman in on the ground floor to open doors. A conflict?
ReplyDeleteHow many of those are promotions for people who have been doing that work anyway, just without the recompense? Not to mention DSS is always hiring-- they have overburdened caseloads, and the least the County can do is approve an extra handful of positions, a goodly portion of the salaries are reimbursed by State funding. We're in dire straights with more people than ever needing assistance, and maybe yes, it's because Ulster gives it away easier than other counties. But the fact is, the people are here and need help. Unless you're going to let the homeless guy sleep on your couch, let's allow DSS to get the staffing they need to help get people back to work, earning a sufficient income and reinvesting in our economy.
ReplyDeleteOh but look at Legislature who voted AGAINST accepting grant money from the State??? What??? Starts in the linked video at around 38:30.
ReplyDeleteResolution 190 & 191 which didn't pass last night because the State ignored speaking to one of the Legislators? So Mr. Hayes has sour grapes, and the Legislature is now biting their nose to spite their face? Oh grow up. We need the grant money more than you need to stamp your feet and show the state that you're taking your ball and going home.
10:13, How about cutting the funding for these programs so they look elsewhere for handouts?
ReplyDeleteI would rather see employees not lose thier jobs they have held for 20 years before we support more cases that are here for a fee ride.
No poltiicans will say this, but until we start to reform, we will continue to go downhill real fast!
Nooooonan 10:17, so predictable, and so jealous of Jack Hayes, Mojo, you should do a picture of Nooooonan with his head green with envy, and maybe some more cowbell
ReplyDeleteThe bull should have a picture of the CSEA on it but in a different setting. It will be the slaughter house for the bull. Whant Mr. Hein is getting ready to do to the CSEA MEMBERS for the 2012 budget while he keeps a large over priced staff.
ReplyDeleteIt's important to realize that, although Hein has the authority to appoint any number of people to his staff. he does NOT have the authority to increase his budget, unless the legislature gives it to him.
ReplyDeleteThe problem here is that, almost entirely, the legislature does not do their homework when it comes to really scrutinizing the budget and the portion of it dealing with personnel.
What are we paying them for? Why are we giving full-time health insurance to them? Why do we keep them in the retirement system so that, if they accumulated enough time, they get that health insurance for the rest of their lives?
Hein is a power-hungry megalomaniac, and the dummies in the legislature fall right into his hands every time because they just don't do the job that we elected them to do, and which we, as taxpayers, are paying them to do.
If you are a legislator and reading this, and feel it does not apply to you, then ask yourself one question: did you/will you vote for the budget without doing a line-by-line analysis of positions in the various departments?
If you are one of the conscientious ones, you need to do a better job of convincing your compatriots to do their homework.
While you are at it 3:05pm, ask Robin Yess what her expertise is in winning elections. Let's see now when she first decided to run for office it was for Legislature in Esopus but Petit beat the pants off her that year; then she wanted to run for County Executive because she didn't think her financial background qualified her to run for Comptroller; then when that didn't suit her fancy she decided to run for Assemblyman. Now, did she really think she could possibly unseat K. Cahill? And what could she know about Republican values when she has been a democrat and a conservative. She knows nothing about winning elections nor how to campaign. Thanks, Yess but NO THANKS!! And for the record, who placed the nomination for her to carry the UC Republican Chair torch at the re-organizational meeting? Bet they are sorry now. She is the curse of the Republican Party. LOL
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