William West, still knows what he's talking about

Current Ulster County Republican Committee First Vice Chair and Former Ulster County Legislature Chairman William West has a brilliant analysis of the Ulster County Executive Race.

His thorough analysis of the budget put forth by Mike Hein is a shining example of why he was Chairman of the Ulster County Legislature and shows that he still knows what he's talking about. We can only hope that our current Legislators and Chairman will take such a detailed look at the budget as well.

Thanks Bill for lending your experience in the Legislature to comment on these matters. Our younger Legislators could learn as thing or two from you, hey, Dave Donaldson could too!


TO: Town Chairman & Friends
FROM: William West, Town of Woodstock

While the election is just around the corner it is not to late to learn a few things about the Democrat candidate for County Executive – Mike Hein. Hopefully, you will be able to share this information with your committee & others so they can pass it on.

1. Mike Hein’s appointment as County Administrator expired in June of this year. The word is that he did not have enough support from members of his own Democrat County Legislators to get reappointed!! And this guy wants to be County Executive?

2. Hein boasts about his experience in business and as a banker – the facts are that he was a clerk in a small retail store and held a bank job that was half a step up from a bank teller. Not a very impressive resume – a real stretch of the facts. Not the experience required to run a $325,000,000.00 + County Budget with 2,000 employees.

3. The County Budget which Mike Hein just presented to the Legislature is weeks late. This was a calculated political move so the public would not have an opportunity to analyze, digest and comment on the budget prior to November 4th. The Hein 2009 budget is total fiction which will cause the taxpayers of Ulster County serious pain in 2010. Hein doesn’t care – he will do anything to get elected - “Mike the Taxman“ is once again trying to fool the people of Ulster County and thumbing his nose at the taxpayers of Ulster County as he has done so many times in the past.

It is very well established that we are heading into some very serious economic times. Governor Paterson has announced that NYS will be facing a major multi-billion dollar budget shortfall and major cutbacks will be necessary – some of these state cutbacks will surely be downloaded on the counties. While NYS and surrounding counties are making serious cuts in their current and future budgets Mike Hein has not made any meaningful cuts this year and his 2009 Budget shows very few changes from the current year! Hein is unable and unwilling to face reality and make the hard choices that are obvious and necessary. Unfortunately, the slowing economy will make the choices for the County - the results will not be pretty and will be very painful for the taxpayer in 2010.

Here are just a few of the mistakes that Hein has made:

1. He is budgeting the same amount of sales tax for 2009 as was budgeted in 2008 ($85.million) - common sense - and all knowledgeable observers - say that this will not happen. Sales tax revenues will be down in 2009. Thus, the 2009 budget will have a serious shortfall – to be made up by the property taxpayers - after the election!!

2. He has proposed purchasing $2. million of new vehicles in 2009.

3. He has effectively added to the employee head count in 2008 & 2009 – not following the hiring freeze legislation.

4. All the budget cover-ups made by Hein in 2008 and 2009 will come home to roost in the 2010 budget – unless the Legislature makes the necessary painful budgetary adjustments this year. Unfortunately, the Legislature will not review the 2009 Budget until after the Election - I seriously doubt that the Democrat Legislature has the will to make the necessary changes. If one were very cynical you might think that the Democrats are colluding – Hein puts out a flawed budget to look good - then the Democrat Legislators ride to the rescue after November 4th with the real budget. A nasty trick – but very possible.

Once again the property tax payer will foot the bill – Ulster County cannot afford Mike Hein as our County Executive. We need an experienced manager like Len Bernardo who has the courage and the will to make the necessary budget adjustments and cuts in these very serious economic times.