Hein: “… getting real stuff done”
KINGSTON – Real stuff over rhetoric was Michael Hein’s message Thursday morning in his speech to the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce. The county executive delivered an informal synopsis of his 2017 State of the County address, from February 6.
“We never viewed what we do, from a purely political prism,” Hein explained. “I work with anybody and everybody who is willing to make a difference in the life of this community.”
“I come at this [government], as if I was in one of those seats,” Hein told the audience. “The truth is, I was in one of those seats, I remember being there, listening to people talk, and hearing politicians, I would think to myself, that’s a lot of rhetoric, but not a whole lot of results.”
Hein said his approach to re-inventing government sprung from his own dissatisfaction with business as usual. “I always made a promise, that it was never going to be about rhetoric, we were going to focus on getting real stuff done,” Hein maintained.
Among the achievements of his administration, Hein mentioned the $46 million three-year infrastructure capital investment initiative, featuring innovative amenities to enhance economic vitality. Carmine Liberta Memorial Bridge in New Paltz was a recent example.
Bringing the film industry tax credit to Ulster County was considered impossible by observers discouraged by New York’s byzantine legislative process. Teamwork, leadership and vision cut through the red tape to place Ulster County at a competitive edge in today’s evolving entertainment production industry.
Centerfold status in National Geographic Magazine is yet another so-called impossible slam-dunk for Ulster County – something Hein repeatedly mentions lately. The feature spread, which reaches 6.7 million readers worldwide, is the result of numerous progressive green energy policies, combined with an ambitious public rail-trail initiative.
“It is possible, if you embrace innovation and change, to do what many think is impossible, you can accomplish the extraordinary, and that’s very exciting,” Hein said. A total of $9.3 million in economic development money has been obtained for the county, Hein added. Property tax levy is less than 2010 levels, he said. Unemployment has halved since he took office, to roughly 4 percent.
