At tonight's Kingston Common Council meeting Matt Ryan, and his crew gathered and took the podium addressing the council in a very rude manner throwing around wild accusations about things they know nothing about. They also talked about the crime issue, how it's out of control.. I swear you'd think we lived in the South Bronx from the way these nuts carried on. Then a person approached the podium and gave a passionate speech that addressed the real issues and put the whacko's in there place. '' Is there crime, yes, but all I hear is this Alderman is doing this and this one not doing that...there is crime here and this there...when are we going to stop playing the blame game and start addressing the problems?" exclaimed Shirley Whitlock, a candidate for 4th Ward Alderman... finally a voice of reason. Mrs. Whitlock is absolutely right, month after month the same group of people come and complain but they never have any solution. It's always the same b.s., I'm going to tape next months public speaking session and just replay it every month so they don't have to waste a trip coming down to City Hall.
Oddly enough the statistics for serious crime have been released for this quarter and Crime is down, again, this time by 11%. Sottile attributed the continued decline in reported crimes as proof the police department, under his administration and aided by special funding initiatives, is attacking the problem.
"It says to me is that we are addressing crime in the proper way, attacking it aggressively," Sottile said. "You are never going to eradicate all crime from your community, but I think that the message is clear her that we are reducing it."
The city, using FBI standards, defines "serious crime" as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and vehicle theft.
40 comments:
Jeremy, your reporting skills are far from accurate or even remotely objective... but it's a great country that affords all of us the opportunity to express ourselves....keep painting with however broad a brush you choose....smitty
MATT RYAN IS A BLOW-HARD DOUCHE BAG. ENOUGH OF THIS AH ALREADY. HE'S AS BAD AS LITTLE DICK OR THE FELON OR WORSE. WHERE DO WE GET THESE HEAD CASES ANYWAY? CAN'T KINGSTON DO ANY BETTER THAN THIS LOSER?
You are hopelessly biased. I was at that meeting too. I thought the speakers -- with the exception of 2 -- made great points. Shirley Whitlock's speech was off the wall and so shrill, I thought I was listening to Hillary Clinton. ONe other guy was a bit of a nut.
Matt Ryan, however, was polite, respectful, and offered valid points. Another person from Ora PLace was compelling as well. Aimee Murphy was her usual charming self and her speech hit the nail on the head.
But, you keep parroting what Sottile is saying about crime. Keep telling the pople not to believe their lying eyes. As one speaker said, keep it up and Cahill will be Mayor.
So when is Shirley going to tell us her solutions to all the problems in ther city? she had never spoken before the common council until last night, she did alot of shouting about finding solutions but did not give any examples, she has never attended a neighborhood watch meeting in her own ward, And no one knows who she is in her own ward, seems from her letter that she sent out to all the democrats her solution to her problems of raising her kids in Kingston was to run a way for thirty years and raise them somewhere else.... then return after they were grown!!! is that what the mayor wants us all to do Sell our homes pack up, give up, and leave Kingston?
and this is the best you can do for Kingston???
Jeremy show us what she has done for and in this ward in the last two years? what are you hiding the truth that the Mayor wants to mold Shirley into what he wants her to be, which is a direct quote from Mayor Sottile before the democratic party committee. So Shirley is so smart she needs the mayor to mold her-she should be livid about that degrading comment. by the way Common Council meetings are not ment to find solutions to the problems that plauge the City, that is why we elect and pay our city officials but when they are not getting the job done it is our right as tax payers(which you wouldn,t know about) to demand the problems get solved..we the taxpayers are not getting paid we just want results the Alderman wanted the job and each ONE went door to door and ask to be the voice of the people of their respective wards So Jeremy don't sit there and get snotty with us when we demand action from the people who are now again knocking at my door asking for my vote.
OK What Point did Matt Ryan make?
Does Mr. Ryan have a plan to put more police on the street? If so I would like to hear.
As someone who lives in Ward Four
and as someone who knowes Dr. Whitlock I think she is the better person to represent me on the Common Council. Unlike Ryan Dr. Whitlock has
lived and WORKES right here in the Ward. The Dr. knowes it will not be easy to fix the problems but she does
not have A AGENDA FOR POLITICAL GAIN
Ms. Murphy charming.......Please.
As someone who lives on Franklin St
If I needed someone to 'watch my back' or help me if I needed someone.
I would take Shirley any day.
What would Little Matty do hit someone with a blow dryer?
Ya Jeremy......Dont get snotty
with the Henry St Crowd..Leave
that to the KPA Monday Night Crew.
Only THEY can speak there mind...
AIMEE MURPHY IS ABOUT AS CHARMING AS FINGERNAILS ON A BLACKBOARD!! AS FOR QUEEN RYAN, HE COMPLAINS ABOUT TAXES, THEN SAYS HE WANTS MORE COPS HIRED - WHAT DOES HE WANT? CAN HE PLEASE TELL US? LESS TAXES OR MORE COPS?
I think your blow dryer comment is offensive. It is obviously a slur against Mr. Ryan's sexuality. If you want to disagree with him -- fine. But nasty insults? What's next? You going to call him a "fag" or someother repulsive comment. And you liberals have the nerve to call yourself tolerant!!
TO: " Smitty"
What about what was written was not accurate? Are these nuts not the same people that speak every month and say the same thing. Is crime not down 11%? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
- JKB
Is being compared to Clinton a bad thing? If I have to choose between Hillary Clinton or Barney fag, I mean Frank. I'm going with Hillary.
"For Sale" signs popping up everywhere! We have become an unofficial safe haven city. SOMETHING Jeremy is not right in the air. You just can't ignore the number of neighborhood watch groups popping up over the city, with simialar compaints. They are indeed what Alderman Cahill mentions, quality of life crimes. Noise, speeders, loitering, 'long term' parked cars, roaming gangs, etc. We have become a haven for gov't assistance living, thanks to the Woodstock crowd. I have no problem with locals receiving assistance, but we have people moving HERE for assistance.
So, get out of Sotile's shadow, and start making some of your own.
I have never said I was charming. I have stood up and asked for more police. I have explained what I encounter day after day in my neighborhood. I cleaned up used condoms from johns being serviced in cars in front of my house and the beer bottles and cans they left behind as well. I have driven young women home who were being followed by johns cruising for hookers. I have watched the prostitutes walk my streets and solicit my neighbors boldly without fear of the police. I watched drug deals go down on the my street, both day and night. For the better part of 18 years.
The mayor did nothing until we started "complaining." As far as being rude, I admit to getting "passionate" and a bit condemning, as is my right in this country. (Which Kingston is still part.) I have not been treated with respect from my elected officials, because I don't disagree with them. And Jeremy, as the "unofficial" voice of this Administration proves my point by calling us "nuts."
From the moment I stood up because I care what happens in my neighborhood and in this City, I chose to make my home, I 've been labeled, pressured to conform, been dismissed out right, been accused of scare tactics, had my integrity questioned. Now my sanity. It is obvious to me and to others, that those of us who insist on our rights to speak freely, to have equal protection and services are getting under the skin of this administration. I find the workings of this Administration to be less than open, honest, fair or tolerant. And definitely not democratic, by either definition.
I believe that the 4th Ward has been neglected by our government for decades. We have the one of the largest population of children, particularly of youth at risk. Van Buren Park has received no money, little time and effort from the City and the Parks Dept. The Bruderhof was kind enough to come in and clean up the syringes, the broken glass, the debris and overgrown weeds last year. Not the City, not the Parks Dept.
If complaining shines a light in this Ward, I am proud to complain. As far as being rude, I will take that observation under consideration and try to express myself in a more palatable way. I have always said I do better writing than speaking. When Mayor Sottile accused me of hiding behind a pen, in a lengthy email exchange we engaged in because he didn't like what I wrote, I thought I'd stand up in person. So now that's wrong too.
I am not and will not label you or the people who seem to be unable to find new ways of insulting people, spreading lies and generally complaining about those of us, you see as complaining. You have the right to your opinion and I have the right to mine.
Too bad this Administration is unable to bring people with diverse opinions together in an open, tolerant manner, in order to find solutions. My exaggerated view of crime is untrue, according to the Mayor and others in his circle, yet the Mayor is now taking credit for fighting this exaggeration. Only in an election year.
Amy Murphy
Jeremy lets get the facts stright
FACT. The Police bike unit that was so highly praised by the current administration in all the local papers and the expensive bikes that were bought and paid for out of the tax payers pockets is gone, why? due to a dangerous shortage of police officers.
FACT. The Midtown sub-station in the old peoples storefront that lasted three to four weeks and then was closed after countless volenteer hours were logged in and grant money was used to fix this sub-station into liviable condition. gone WHY? nobody did a background check on the owner and the whole substation was a scam in the first place several policeman have told me it was merely a toilet stop and was never intended to be a booking station
FACT. Police Chief Keller has stated in several news papers that the police are making over 100 quality of life arrests per month just in the Midtown area alone.
Fact. how many of the other wards in this city have a murder already and several shootings and beatings only one the Fourth Ward in Midtown.
FACT. the police are now working seven days in a row before they get time off because they are so short staffed it's just a matter of time before something goes wrong with sleep deprived,overworked police.
FACT.It is general knowledge that all the crimes in the city are not being reported and are not being written up, A perfect example is the riot that happened on Ceder street on memorial day weekend people were arrested and taken away but no police report was ever filed, fixing the books can certainly make the crime stats go down especially in a election year.
So all those people who get off their butts to come down to a Common Council Meeting in this hot muggy weather that you Jeremy enjoy making fun of, I personally appauld, people who are trying to make a difference and trying to get the current administration back on the right track in Midtown.
If your going to report news please be fair you remind me of the man behind the curtain in the wizard of OZ only the great Oz in this case is Sottile and right now he is not thought of as so great anymore in Midtown.
Ms. Murphy,
You have blamed this adminstration for a lot. But I have not seen or
heard anything from your choice for
Alderman in OUR Ward make any suggestions on how to fight the problem. We would all like to hire more police. Yet how will he pay for it? Can he tell us how much a single
police officer will cost? Does he know?? In talking with Dr. Whitlock
she is aware of the problems. She will not lie to people It appears that you and Mr. Ryan are trying to
bring down a good Mayor. This is Kingston not a place where you can buy a condo in Harlem for 97K. Our
City is a city of working people and yes the problems started in our Ward long before Clint Brown took over they stated with the lady before and she was a Republican. Does Mr. Ryan deserve some credit?
Yes, he does. But what would he do?
It would appear Mr. Ryan has good slogens and a TV Show and gets ink
in the Kingston Times. But In my
view he has little to offer me in terms of solutions. The problem started long before Sottile and Brown were elected and you should admit that.
To the poster at 245
Could care less what Ryan is. He
could be black, white, gay, not gay.
My point is that he has Denny Terrio hair.
Please say you are sorry.
To the Poster at 750
Again, It would appear you are getting your nightly news from the
crew on Monday Night at KPA. You have made some very serious charges and again it appears like you want to
put Sottile down but you do not come up with an solutions. The Mayor was right to put a substation in midtown.
It was offered as free space and the Mayor acted on it. Are you suggesting Police Chief Keller is
'cooking' the books. Chief Keller
is a long standing Police Officer and I do not think he would do something like that.... If you are who I think you are you should have some facts before you say something like that even in a blog. Or is that what we can expect from you?
Again, lets see you come up with some real numbers as in a budget
Matt before you go off like that.
Would like to know where Ms. Murphy and Mr. Ryan stand on Alderman Walkers take on how to handle crime?
Matt Ryan is a great neighborhood watchman, but a lousy candidate for alderman. He is very concerned about his own neighborhood and nothing else. I would very seriously doubt if Matt actually knew any of ward 4 outside of Downs Street and Ora Place. His agenda is for his own benefit. His egotistical and rude mannerism do little other than alienate those around him. Big egos are big shields for lots of empty space. I will admit that Dr. Whitlock is not an ideal candidate either. Will someone with some ambition and intelligence please stand up for our ward?
To 5:04,
Obviously, you are unaware of Mr. Ryan's efforts on Van Buren Street to help clean up and restore its park.
JEREMMY, IF THERE IS NO CRIME IN KINGSTON, LETS SEE YOU WALK FROM GW SCHOOL DOWN HENRY ST ON DOWN BROADWAY, SOME NITE AROUND 10;00 THRU SAY 4 AM ALL BY YOURSELF
Mr Ryan is the chairman of the Midtown Neighborhood Watch Group and has been for almost two years I know for a fact that he uses his own money to fund that group for mailings, printing and supplies and that is his only responsibility.
You people who think he should be fixing the whole ward forget that there is an Alderman by the name of Clint Brown who is getting a monthly check from the taxpayers to take care of the problems in this ward until Dec 31 2007 So Mr. Ryan is a person who owes no one anything he;s a citizen like you and me. So come on tell us what you have done for your ward or for the city lately and how much of your own money are you putting back into your community? give credit where credit is due and stop the lies and the untruths.
Jeremy:
Your 15 minutes of fame are over might as well help that drunk of a mayor pack his bags and move on down the line. is his wife going to leave him after all the affairs his poor son what a pity I don,t think Albany wants another drunk back at his last job especially after assulting a future DA'S WIFE.
bye bye Sottile
Who is this Shirley person and God told her to become an Alderwomen? Oh God Phil Cosme move over another insane alien has landed by the grace of God in Kingston. beam me up scotty and praise the lord. and give Shirley another drink.because she;s delusional.
O.K. Ryan only cares about his Neighborhood? thats why he worked so hard on the canned food drive for the Queens Galley over on Washington Ave and thats why he put so much time and effort into the blueprints for the Van Buren Street Park and how dare he I have heard he's been working with Steve Noble and Rebecca Martain of the Ninth ward on a community garden Committee and oh yes thats why is is a member of the Henry Street action Committee and he has been working closley with the Big Brothers Big Sisiter of Ulster County And the Master gardner program over at Cornell extention headed by Dona Crawford and her committee, and he even promoted and paid for the (Garden in a Bucket) event and over fifty children from the area partipicapted in.
And Why does he have has his own cable show on Mondays at 10pm because he cares about this Ward thats why. Some of you should know the facts before you start bad mouthing a good community member who's trying to make a difference in the Midtown area.
Enough about Mr. Ryan lets hear about this Shirley person no one seems to say anything about whats her story? no one blogs her? if Ryan has one thing going for him it,s word of mouth which whether you like him or not the proof is on this blog and at least he's getting people talking about the upcoming election Shriley is null and void is she hiding under a rock or something?.Is she the Mayors new muse?.
This Administration is responsible for the decisions it makes. I don't blame them for crime. I rightfully asked for more protection and enforcement in an area that was "forgotten" for many years. I agree the problems pre-date Sottile's term as Mayor. He did little as Alderman-at-large to address the growing, festering crime problem in Midtown. Chief Keller admitted there was a policy of containment in the "Box" as he called it.
The Police Chief told our Neighborhood Watch there were only 3-4 prostitutes working in Midtown, last year. Then he picked up more than that. He stopped his sting due to the paperwork. The john sting was curtailed due to paperwork as well. The first sting done in 12 years or so, by the way. During which time, prostitutes and drug dealers plied their trades openly in front of children, our older residents and the rest of us day and night. Chief Keller says the police respond to 20,000 calls a years. And my neighbors were not able to get the police to respond. Something had to change.
Our police force has not been increased for over a decade, perhaps longer, because it would raise our taxes. My taxes have gone up very significantly in this decade. So has crime. And the enforcement and police presence in my neighborhood was almost non-existent during the same time frame.
Will it take some hard work to fund additional officers? Yes, it will. Have you looked at your City's budget? I have and asked my Alderman for some answers (I spent four hours with Mr. Brown, asking for explanations. He said he would get back to me with answers. He has never done so. That was last fall.)
Matthew Ryan has studied the budget. He informed me that the system requires 3 officers be hired, no less. He took heat for objecting to a 15-year contract to lease equipment at the cost of $235,000/ year with contracted increases over time. More than enough to cover the cost of 3 officers for 15 years. He has taken action to fix what he can as a private citizen. He has responded to requests for assistance where he can, as a private citizen. He spent hours with others planning improvements at Van Buren Park. He was going to solicit Community Development grant monies for those improvements. Mayor Sottile told him the City would fund it. It would get done faster. As of today, nothing has been done. No monies have been allocated in the City's budget for Van Buren Park in the last 5 years. Matt did the research that brought that fact to light. Yet we give money to ASK, not our children- not in this Ward. As a taxpayer in Ward 4, I am appalled at the obvious lack of concern for the children of Ward Four by the entire Administration.
Many residents asked Matt to run. He was nominated by Ward 4 search committee. Shirley Whitlock did not come forward on her own accord. The Mayor approached three or four individuals in an effort to circumvent the people's choice. Dr. Whitlock was the last. Ours is the only Ward whose nomination was done by a weighted open vote of the entire convention at the Mayor's bidding.
Matt lobbied for foot patrols and increased police presence. Now the Mayor takes credit for the decline in crime. I am certain that if we did not stand up against tremendous pressure to silence us, the decline in crime would have missed Midtown. I am also certain that this has helped the City as a whole.
Does Matt have all the answers? No. He has proven he will work to get them. He already has. He has proven he will listen to the residents of this Ward. He has proven he will speak for those who are not able, due to fear, to speak for themselves. Jeremy's comments and tactics are evidence of the tremendous pressure to silence those of us who will not tow the Mayor's line. There have been other pressures as well.
Win or lose, Matt has done more for this Ward and this City in 2 years as a private citizen than Clint Brown did in four as Alderman. By the way, Clint was the Mayor's choice. The Mayor knows he can not mold Matt. So Jeremy, the Mayor's boy, will do whatever he can to dismiss, demean and belittle Matt.
Funny, Jeremy believes that the Dems are playing games and stacking the deck in the DA's race, but lauds Shirley's nomination as the "people's choice." Hypocrisy to say the least. The Mayor used the same tactics to nominate Ms. Whitlock.
Amy Murphy
Who woulda thought Sottile a part of the crime problem in Kingston. Why didn,t they both get arrested for unorderly conduct or provoking a fight or for intoxication? there were plenty of witnesses and plenty of police? special rules for special people? after this fundraiser/booze cruise we should have had our five police officiers standing ready for the onslot of DWI's and through the fines alone we could have increased the citys budget ten fold and then we could afford to hire more cops.
The whole event makes me sick to my stomach, Sottile should resign and let Reynolds have a crack at the mayorship because as a faithful Democrat I can no longer support Sottile, and will have to vote for Cahill, Sottile is a drunken embarrassment to the entire Democratic Party!!
Ask yourself, Would you walk down Broadway or O'Neil or Downs
or say Henry,Franklin or Cedar after 7 p.m. and feel safe?
Or would you let you teenage child do the same and feel safe? That is the true test.
Ms. Murphy,
First I will give you credit for responding.
But yet you nor Mr. Ryan has answered
my central question. Is where $235,000 will come from? The question is an easy one. One we can raise taxes in that case you, Mr. Ryan and Mr. Cahill can go on your Monday Night Show and complain about how much taxes have gone up.\
OR You can bash Sottile for the crime rate. Ms. Murphy you cannot have it both ways. Amy I would like to take my family oversees for a vacation...Yet I cannot afford it.
But I need a new car. So....I must make a decision. It is clear to me
that you and Mr. Ryan like to write
and complain. Yet your budget skills have a LOT to be desired. So
Ms. Murphy let me here your solution on how to raise the money.
Also please answer my question on
Alderman Walker's solution to public safety?
To the Poster at 1002
Yes, I would as I have said before
I have walked 125 St and Malcom X
Blvd at 2 in the AM and yes I am white and no I have never been bothered by anyone. So yes I will walk any street at any time in Kingston. Wanna go for a walk??
Let me know.
After meeting Dr. Whitlock it is clear to me that is a bright and wonderful lady who wants to help out in midtown. Shirley answered all of my questions and I will vote for her in a primary. Matt Ryan is new to our community and I dont know why some people would support someone that new. Dr. Whitlock could bring our community together black and white
and I will vote for her.
Thank you for giving me credit for responding. I don't believe that the only way to find the money to hire more police is to raise taxes. I do not pretend to have all the answers. I do know that money is transferred in very interesting ways after reading several years of budgets. My life experience has taught me that it is first important to set priorities. Safety- safety of the residents of this City and the police officers, who serve this City so well, is my first priority. You indicated that you live by setting appropriate priorities in your comments. First, the necessities, then the luxuries. I want the City to do the same with our tax money.
I personally believe that there is waste in the way we run this City. Nor did I bash Sottile for the crime rate. I have criticized the Mayor for his statements in the press and for his priorities. That is my right as an American. I have said and written that Midtown got the short end of the budget and the resources, i.e. police presence, park funding and care taking. In the many years I've lived here, I know that to be true. For exercising my Constitutional Rights, I have been labeled a nut by Jeremy, had the Mayor accuse me of hiding behind a pen, which implies I am a coward. And now you expect me to have answers without having the data to formulate those answers.
I came here as an adult. My childhood was spent in White Plains. I lived in Albany for several years. What I learned during my life is that when criminals can do business on the streets in broad daylight, the entire community is at risk. When individuals are assaulted, or murdered in broad daylight it is a threat to all of us. When a child, an innocent by stander or one of our police are victims of a criminal with a gun, I will not regret my silence, because I stood up. By standing up, living in Midtown, I put myself at risk of retaliation from the criminals and from my elected officials. As a single woman, past 50, I stood up aware of the risk, afraid of the potential consequences to me.
I have not complained that my taxes have risen, I have pointed out that they are not being used where I believe they should be. I did point out that the decade or more of not hiring more police has not stopped our taxes from going up. Again, a case of priorities. It is obvious to me; you put your family's welfare first. I want the welfare and safety of my neighbor's children and my neighbor's given equal priority by this City. Because we are working class, working poor and on assistance, we deserve to be ignored? I think not.
I can't address Lenny Walker's proposal on crime, since I don't know what he proposed. I regret that you believe all I like to do is complain. I don't see it that way. I am exercising my right to free speech. I am informing those who read or listen what I see, what I believe, how it is for me to live here. As is my right. I am doing the best I can to insure the betterment of Kingston and the safety of all her residents. As is my right. For the record, I defend your right to misrepresent, misunderstand and misjudge me. I'm not trying to change your mind, to silence your point of view. I am simply exercising my rights as an American and by doing so, honor the sacrifices of those who gave me these wonderful freedoms and those who have defended them throughout our history. I am proud that I faced my fears and exercised my rights. I believe this City is better for it, safer for it. And we have had the opportunity to communicate. Be safe.
Amy Murphy
Jeremy:
Has the blog ever done so much bussiness, good for you keep up the good work!!
As to your blogger who said Shirley has lived here for so long my I remind you that Shirley moved back from New Jersey to Kingston two years agoafter a thirty year absence.She decided to leave Kingston and raise her family in another city and then move back to Kingston. I am trying to raise my two boys here and not give up and move away and like her I have also been here for two years.
Also the blogger who wants to know how we can pay for new police and not raise taxes? start the next city budget as a clean slate The most important responsibility of this administration is to protect it's citizens that has to come first and work down from there. Then the parking meters as much as I hate to put my money into them everytime I put in another dime or quarter I feel we are that much closer to getting six new police officiers.
The City has said it expects to raise between 200,00-500,000 per year on meter revenue considering six new police would cost around 460,000 this is a possibility I do know this much when elected as Alderman of the Fourth Ward I will not give a yes vote to the 2008 City budget if it does not include the hiring of new police officiers A promise our current Alderman Clint Brown made to his Ward and did not keep.
Matthew Ryan:
Ms. Murphy,
Again I did enjoy your comments.
Don't agree with them but I respect them. First, Mayor Sottile never said that crime does not 'exist' In Kingston. Week after week I watch
Mr. Cahill and now Mr. Ryan say that
Sottile said there 'is no crime problem' He never said that and it would appear that people are using this for political gain.
No Jeremy, I can say unequivocally that crime is not down 11%. The reason is those stats come from REPORTED CRIMES, and I know of at least three apartment complexes where I live where people have simply STOPPED REPORTING CRIMES because NOTHING IS EVER DONE ABOUT CERTAIN OF THEM. There is certainly also, as a grant in recent years recognized, the factor that people don't want to snitch about crimes due to fear of recrimination.
Number two, on certain crimes the police do not act. Period. I know because I've experienced this myself. I can provide a very clear example of this based on elementary reasoning. AFter INTENSIVE INVESTIGATION I have NOT been able to determine a logical reason for this and so MUST default to the logical conclusion, which is that city hall deliberately does not want these crimes investigated. That doesn't tell me the REASON they don't and perhaps there are multiple reasons they don't want this. This is one reason the stats are wrong. The other is that you can have nonviolent crimes which go up and it seems like very good news because violent crimes go down. Those living in the neighborhoods know, regardless, that crime remains a large issue, a very valid one, and that although it is unfortunate this is an election year and that provides room for demagoguery on both sides or all sides, the fact remains there is a very valid issue not only of crime but possibly official corruption in response or lack of response thereto. I am sorry the Mayor made the deliberate choice not to deal with this issue in my case, which started in 2002; therefore it cannot be said that somehow the issue just cropped up this year for the election, but then again, he had his reasons, which, as some folks have opined, are bound to backfire to some degree because folks know what they experience on a daily basis in many cases and the fact is it is frustrating and citizens deserve this issue to be responded to in an appropriate way which they do not always receive from the local government. There is a fundamental breakdown in the system when this occurs. The Mayor has refused to take ownership of this problem, and so has the police commission, making him and the commission in my judgment too lily-livered to wear the descriptions of having "honesty and integrity". Since the Mayor hasn't responded appropriately since the crimes I experienced since 2002(and over which I know others experience), it obviously does not follow that he is honest or decent on this issue. Five years of stonewalling corruption from city hall and the counsel for the Democratic Party who doubles as counsel for the organization which has overseen the process of corruption here and started same. That says it ALL in my book, moreso than any stat book ever could, good, bad, or indifferent.
I note that Ulster County has a crime victims unit which acts as long as the matter is investigated. However if the matter is never investigated, they cannot act. The difference between Ulster County and the city of Kingston in crime is that the city of Kingston doesn't consider harrassment a crime, the current District Attorney hasn't considered harrassment a crime for most of his tenure, and now the city of Kingston apparently has redefined crime to mean only violent crime, which doesn't surprise me in the least.
You still did not answer the question
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