Harkavy has been an effective advocate for environment
I was very pleased to hear that Mike Harkavy was a candidate for the Saugerties District I seat on the Ulster County Legislature.
We first met over 20years ago when we both became involved in stopping the county’s misguided proposal of siting a “megadump” in Saugerties. Wisely seeking an alternative solution to the solid waste disposal problem, Mike was part of a group in Saugerties to help develop our municipal recycling regulations and program. He then was appointed as a co-coordinator of that program for several years.
At that same time in the history of Saugerties’ environmental awakening, an unlawful tire dump operation rapidly accumulated an estimated 750,000 scrap tires on a former bluestone quarry hidden in the middle of our residential Quarryville neighborhood. Knowing the potentially disastrous environmental, economic and health affects, Mike immediately became a leader in the shutdown and lengthy remediation of the site.
Although living just outside the critically affected area, Mike ceaselessly worked with us to get town and county governments, the New York State DEC, our state legislators and the New York State Attorney General’s office all working together with homeowners to resolve the problem. The fear we felt when hearing and seeing the tires getting trucked in turned into relief when hearing and seeing those same tires dug up, ground up or stacked into trucks then removed to a legitimate recycling operation.
Since then, Mike Harkavy has continuously given his knowledge and expertise to Saugerties. Working with many other Saugerties residents and committees, Mike has been developing solutions, plans and options for Saugerties’ future. Whether it be green energy, encouragement of local farming, options to casino development, opposition to fracking or transparency in government, Mike knows the issues and is involved.
Allen Bryan
Saugerties
Control taxes and save Golden Hill
I have been going door to door visiting with voters during my campaign for the Ulster County Legislature in District 1. Without a doubt, the two most overriding issues expressed to me are the hardships caused by ever-increasing school taxes and the desire to keep the Golden Hill Healthcare Center in county hands. The solution to both these issues depends upon controlling school taxes while increasing county revenues. The following is a comprehensive plan that I believe will go a long way to solving both problems:
Strongly lobby the New York State Legislature to change the funding for schools from property taxes to income taxes. There should be a “circuit breaker” that cuts off school tax payments if one is below a certain level of income.
Work with the New York State Association of Counties to demand that state government halt the flood of un-funded mandates that forces county government to pass on tax increases to our residents and businesses.
Help to expand programs that increase efficiency through shared services between town and county government.
Take a hard look at all the tax-exempt properties in the county and determine if some should be put back on the tax rolls.
Support the lowering of the payroll tax for small businesses.
Increase support to the arts and tourism industry as an important part of economic development.
Encourage the broadening of our tax base through incentives for new industry with strict and enforceable commitments for job creation. No new jobs…no incentives.
Help to develop a “Buy in Ulster County” campaign to support local homegrown businesses, the backbone of our economy.
Tax relief and serving our most vulnerable seniors should not be partisan issues. As a member of the legislature, I will work with my colleagues, regardless of party affiliation, to solve these and other pressing problems facing our residents and businesses.
Mike Harkavy
Saugerties
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