KINGSTON – Ulster County Legislature Chairman David Donaldson would like the lawmaking body to tackle a number of pressing issues this year.
He outlined many at Tuesday night’s session, saying there is no time for political obstructionism going forward. “I have little time for the politics of petty bickering, the personal agendas and the highlighting of our differences,” he said. “I can’t afford; we can’t afford it; Ulster County can’t afford it. We have too many issues we must address for the good of our constituents and our future.”
Donaldson said the county is facing a housing crisis and should consider creating a land bank and tax sales to organizations like Youth Build and Habitat for Humanity.
He said the county should rethink the county’s Industrial Development Agency. PILOTs should not be “welfare for the wealthy.”
With criminal justice reforms on the state and county level, the county must review bail reform, shifting use of the county jail as population declines and restorative justice, Donaldson said.
The chairman also said the county must continue to tackle the opioid crisis, solid waste disposal, upgrading the county ethics law and code of conduct for the legislature and downsizing the legislature to 21 members.
