KINGSTON – It took months of haggling
between Ulster County Executive Michael Hein and other public officials
with state Assemblyman Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston) to get the state lawmaker
to support an extension of the county’s additional one percent sales
tax it has received for some 20 years.
County Legislator Richard Gerentine, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee,
has written to Cahill asking him for his support for an extension after
the November 30, 2015 expiration date.
Gerentine does not want to see a repeat of a delay that cost the county
millions in lost revenue.
“We were surprised as a legislative body that this was going on
until it hit us one night with the time frame being what it was, so we
are starting a little early this year and we are asking if anyone has
any requests or any other things they want to be added to the bill that
we would know before we proceed,” he said.
Cahill insisted this last time that the county adopt a resolution committing
to take over the social services safety net funding from the municipalities.
