ULSTER COUNTY SAFETY NET

What a pleasure it was to drop by the Health & Human Services Committee this Thursday evening. Although I am not a voting member of this committee, I felt it necessary to attend this month's meeting because of a specific proposal made by my colleagues representing Kingston.

In recent months there has been some drama concerning the over payment in services by the City of Kingston for Assistance and Care of persons utilizing Social Services of any kind. Seems people from other towns of close proximity had their services billed to the City of Kingston because the Department didn't have the wherewithal to know the difference and the city officials didn't double check. They assumed Westchester resident Roberto Rodriguez, our Health Dept Commissioner, knew where the town lines were way up here in Ulster County.

This drama prompted the alternate discussion regarding the "Safety Net" as a whole, and how to remedy the inequitable policy that is currently in place. You see, the only county in the country that provides these services and bills the municipalities in this fashion is Ulster County. None of the other 61 counties in New York handle the billing the same way. Here, the municipality that houses the homeless and subsidized, have to pay 50% of the cost. Other Counties cover those same costs for this county service.

This places a financial dis-incentive for towns other than Wawarsing and Kingston to increase low income/subsidized housing in their districts for fear that they would have to assume half the costs of the service. If someone falls on hard times while living in Woodstock, Saugerties or Lloyd, the townsfolk will put you, your family and whats left of your belongings on a bus for Kingston or Ellenville.

As proposed by Legislators Donaldson and Laughran, the County would phase in the proper assumption of the cost of the county service over a two or more year period. Eventually; with the understanding that towns would nolonger see that providing emergency housing and assistance for townsfolk who fall on hard times will dictate that they leave the towns they raised their families in.

From what I've gathered in my short four months on the Legislature, the subject of realligning the "Safety Net" costs back to the county where it properly belongs, usually took place during the last hours of the budget discussions in December...destined to fail significant discussion upon arrival. This year, with the screw-up in billing causing such a stir, the subject is now front & centre.

The City of Kingston is on the verge of suing the County to correct the inequitable billing practice that has caused undue burden on the city infrastructure and the taxpayers. Kingstonians are faced with paying for a county service they take no part in. Nor want to. A taxing system plagued with discriminational undertones simply because of where persons on the service may reside. It doesn't look good.

Voting in favor: Rob Parete, Wayne Harris and Joe Stoeckler. Voting against: Laura Petit, Walter Frey and Ken Ronk. It should be noted that Mr Harris voted in favor for the purpose of allowing it to get to the floor. He intends to vote "No" when it gets there.

Afterward, Ken, Walter and I had some passionate banter in the county parking lot. Not enough to warrant security, it was quite fun actually. But we did get to express ourselves on the issue and bring our perspective into view between the three of us. We all agree that it is unusual that this issue comes up so early in the year, allowing it to become an animal in its own right rather than a footnote during the budget process.

My former bandmates on the Council asked that I play a role in the "Safety Net" discussion when I got to the Legislature; since they felt it never went anywhere with the members we had in place for the last two decades. Perhaps the combination of the billing mishap and the new face with an agenda has sparked a much needed conversation.

I don't know the outcome of Resolution 147, but I do like being engaged in what could be "equitable tax distribution modification" which may help Kingston and Wawarsing in the future. Lets hope for an enlightened outcome.