Noble: do this together”
Kingston – City of Kingston Mayor Steve Noble presented his 2019 proposed
budget Wednesday evening, a budget that would keep tax increases flat
for the fourth year in a row, while still investing a significant amount
into the city and city programs.
The $44 million budget would reflect mostly on public safety, but would
include a myriad of other city allocations, while still keeping the homestead
and non-homestead taxes per 1,000 lower than they have been in the last
four years.
Noble said this is a pivotal time for Kingston and the smart budgeting
shows the priority of the city is to let all residents reap the benefits
of this success.
“We have to recognize that the time for Kingston is now, but it is also the time for Kingston to make sure that everyone is raised up in the process,” said Noble. “I think that is something I feel really strongly about. It’s something that I know many of you do too. I think that it’s that something you will see repeated time and time again in our budget priorities is, that we’ve got to be able to do this together. We have to make sure that, in our projects, we’re keeping everyone in mind.”
There are a number of new programs and city initiatives including $3 million into community housing, a three-year agreement with the Kingston firefighters union, $150,000 in funds for equipment to protect firefighters against carcinogenic materials, $1 million into road paving, over $500,000 in the capital plan, a secured four year contract with CSEA, $100,000 in capital improvements to Kingston parks, $2.5 million to Dietz Stadium upgrades and stabilizing Frog Alley remnants.
Much of the funding for capital improvements comes from $10 million provided by the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.
The Fireman’s Museum will also account for a $500,000 investment and the Kingston Point Rail Trail, to be finished in 2019, will solidify the city’s part in the Empire State Rail Trail that runs all the way to Canada.
Additionally, the city is hoping to break ground in 2019 on the Broadway City-scape project that will not only beautify the city but redesign a dangerous intersection into the Broadway corridor.
